President Rodrigo Duterte supports the "civil union" of same-sex couples in the country, Malacanang said on Thursday.

"The President has said it over and over again. He's in favor to have a law that will recognize civil union of the same-sex relationships," said Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque in a televised press briefing.

He said it would be up to Congress to pass a law that will recognize civil union of the same sexes.

But he expressed belief that with the recent statement of Pope Francis supporting the civil unions for same-sex couples, the Catholics in Congress would support such bill.

"With no less than the Pope supporting it, I think even those most conservative of all Catholics in Congress should no longer have a basis for objecting," he said.

Quoted by the Catholic News Agency from a documentary film "Francesco," the Pope said homosexual people have a right to be in a family since they are children of God.

"What we have to create is a civil union law. That way they are legally covered," the Pope said.

The Philippines is considered as the only Christian nation in Asia, with most of its people are Catholic.

Under the Family Code of the Philippines, marriage is only allowed between a man and a woman. Celerina Monte/DMS