President Rodrigo Duterte expressed support on Sunday on same-sex marriage as he is open to change the law to legalize this.

Duterte made the statement during the gathering of lesbians, gays, bisexuals and transgenders (LGBT) in Davao City.

"I like same-sex marriage. The problem is we have to change the law, but we can change the law," he said, noting that currently the law states that the union should be between a man and a woman.

"I don’t have any problem making it (legal), marrying a man, marrying a woman or whatever is the predilection of the human being," he said.

Duterte assured that under his administration, the rights of everyone would be protected.

"There will be no oppression and we will recognize your importance in the society," he said.

He said that if the "trend for modern times" is to have same-sex marriage and if this could add happiness to the LGBT community, he would not oppose it.

"Why impose a morality that is no longer working and almost passe...so I am with you," he said.

Duterte's latest statement is expected to draw criticisms from the Catholic church.

At the same time, the President urged the LGBT community to nominate someone from them who could be a commissioner of the Presidential Commission for the Urban Poor.

He recently fired PCUP chairman Terry Ridon and his four commissioners due to "notorious junkets abroad" and for failure to convene a meeting being a collegial body.

"You nominate somebody who is honest, hardworking and I would like to show that whether gay or lesbian can always work just like an ordinary human being," he said.

He gave the LGBT community until second week of January next year to submit the name of its nominee. Celerina Monte/DMS