Duterte: I'm not a chauvinist, I just really like girls

MANILA, Philippines — President Rodrigo Duterte, often criticized for his sexist remarks and antics, on Tuesday denied being a "chauvinist pig," saying instead that he really likes girls.

Duterte said people should talk to him first before they become overly critical of him. 

He also justified his habit of kissing women, saying he has been doing it to female constituents, "whether they have teeth or they have none," since he was mayor of Davao City. 

"They said, I'm a chauvinist pig. But actually, that's not true," the president said during the 81st anniversary of the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) in Pasay. The president has said in the past that some types of work are inappropriate for women because they cannot stand threats and intimidation.

Duterte, who often jokes about his extramarital affairs in his public addresses, believes there is nothing wrong with liking girls. 

"Gusto ko man talaga ‘yung girls. Sino bang ayaw (I really like girls. Who doesn't?)," he said. 

Duterte statements and actions have earned him criticism from women's groups and has led to the launch of the #BabaeAko movement to call him out on his misogyny.

GSIS: So many beautiful women

During the event, Duterte praised GSIS, the pension fund for state workers, for having several beautiful employees. 

"Marami talagang magaganda (There are several beautiful women here). I don’t know if you follow a certain criteria...She must be slim, not more than 115 pounds," the president said.  

Duterte recalled that he would look at female GSIS employees when he was still staying at a dormitory operated by the Young Men's Christian Association.

He also narrated how his Geopolitics professor asked him to get out of the classroom after telling her that he was good at girls. 

"(The professor) said 'You seemed to be looking at the map for the first time.' I said 'Ma’am, no, I studied but...I am not very good at directions.' She said, 'Oh so what are you good at?' And I said, 'girls.' She got angry and asked me to leave the classroom," Duterte said. 

Duterte, who previously described extramarital affairs as "part of biology," also joked about having four girlfriends. 

"Kung asawa ko, anak ko, girlfriend ko, tatlo yan, may pang-apat pa dito, wag niyo kausapin (My wife, my girlfriend, there are three of them. The fourth is here. Do not talk to her)," he said. 

Duterte later on clarified that he was just cracking jokes and declared that all members of the audience are beautiful. 

Before ending his speech, Duterte made light of his controversial kissing of a married woman in Seoul earlier this month.

"Kung nasa Korea lang tayo, naubos ko kayo," Duterte said.  — Alexis Romero