President Rodrigo Duterte has admitted that the Partido Demokratiko Pilipino?Lakas ng Bayan is a "very fragile" political party.

Duterte's statement came as the PDP-Laban has yet to settle its internal conflict where there are two existing factions, and in the wake of the increasing support for Hugpong ng Pagbabago, a regional political party in Davao Region founded by his daughter, Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio.

"I'm a PDP. But PDP, let us admit, it was a moribund organization. It was not until after I became a President that many joined PDP. But PDP is very fragile," Duterte said in a speech in Cebu City on Tuesday night.

He said the Philippines is run by money and the people who have the money, such as San Miguel Corp.chairman Eduardo "Danding" Cojuangco, founder of the Nationalist People's Coalition.

"PDP is good, it appeals to many, including me. Why? I would dare say that it is a principled party," the President said.

However, he added the problem with PDP was that it has no money.

"When the election comes, everybody troops to Danding...Ramon Ang will also spend. Give here, give there. All of them. So there's no such thing really as a party. Even if how you try hard, it's simply is not the vogue or fashion that you run without money and win. It happened only during times of miracle," he added.

Ang is an ally of Cojuangco in San Miguel Corp where the former is the president and chief operating officer.

Duterte, who met with his PDP-Laban party mates, asked the two factions to settle their differences.

At the same time, he expressed support to the HNP-backed senatorial bets for 2019 midterm elections.

HNP had forged alliances with nine national and regional political parties in the country. Celerina Monte/DMS