President Rodrigo Duterte on Thursday told soldiers to take their own lives instead of surrendering to enemies alive.

"Wag kayo magsurrender ng buhay. Masama man sabihin pero 'yan ang totoo. Magsurrender ka, bababuyin ka. Gawin kang tar***. You will be treated like a pig only to be executed," Duterte said during a camp visit in Palawan.

Uniformed personnel will each be given "sidearms", either Glocks or Colts, before the end of 2017 to ensure that government troops can defend themselves especially when deployed to bailiwicks of rebels.

But the Commander-in-Chief told troops to reserve the last magazine for themselves.

"Umorder na ako ng sidearm mga 30,000, bigyan ko kayo lahat... Yang last magazine, para sa iyo 'yan. Lagay mo sa ulo, ganunin mo kalaban mo (shows middle finger), f*ck you. At least you die with dignity," Duterte said.

He added the 30,000 sidearms are just an initial delivery.

The President told soldiers to bring their firearms whenever they venture outside government camps, recalling how several unarmed soldiers and policemen were mutilated by communist rebels in February.

"Ang sama ng loob ko talaga. Sinabi ko ng wag kayo lalabas ng kampo na walang baril. Wala kayong kalaban-laban."

Duterte gave the advice to soldiers a day after the government peace panel and the Reds agreed on an interim joint ceasefire.