President Rodrigo Duterte drew chuckles from members of the international community in a toast during his first vin d'honneur in Malacañang Wednesday.

"Kampai! Bottom's up!" said Duterte as he raised a toast to strengthening the Philippines' friendship with other countries.

Amid amused laughs from his audience, he explained: "In sub-diplomatic gatherings, especially in Asia, we say 'kampai.' It's always 'bottom's up.' So be careful of our Asian brothers and sisters. When they say 'kampai,' no, just [drink] half of the kampai."

Before the toast, Duterte vowed that his administration will pursue new ties with other countries even as it nurtures time-tested friendships.

"We value partners as we strengthen existing friendships even as we pursue new ones. We believe that friends help each other and utilize constructive engagement to achieve common goals," he said.

"In a world that recognizes our interconnectedness and respects each other's sovereign independence, the horizons and frontiers of cooperation are virtually limitless. Friendship, after all, knows no bounds. The Philippines has and will continue to build on our friendship founded on common objectives, shared values and time-honored principles of international law."

Duterte also reaffirmed his commitment to fighting poverty, corruption and illegal drugs.

ABS-CBN News Channel, 11 December 2016