The president-elect of the Philippines, Rodrigo Duterte, has pledged to promote contraception, a month after downplaying reports that he would pursue an aggressive family planning programme.

Duterte reiterated his belief that three children should be the maximum number for families, and joked about amputating men’s genitalia.

"I will reinstall the program of family planning. Three's enough," Duterte said in a speech after a flag-raising ceremony in front of the Davao city hall. "I've also been colliding with the Church because it's no longer realistic."