Philippine presidential candidate and Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte casts his vote at a voting precinct in Daniel Aguinaldo National High School in Davao City, on the southern island of Mindanao on Monday. Photo: AFP

National elections in the Philippines were held on Monday with voters showing little interest in the South China Sea issue, which observers said has been hyped up by the government and media.

Polls opened at 6:00 am and closed 11 hours later on Monday. Firebrand Philippine city Mayor Rodrigo Duterte took a strong lead in early unofficial presidential election results, Reuters reported.

While the South China Sea issue has been considered a hot topic during the election campaign, voters reached by the Global Times noted that it is not their top priority.

Despite differences, all candidates have voiced support for the South China Sea arbitration case brought by Manila and currently under consideration at The Hague and would like to "uphold the sovereignty" of the Philippines in the disputed waters.

Rose Quito, an owner of a cigarette and beverage business based in Pasay City, southwest of Manila, told the Global Times on Monday that she is not that up-to-date on the South China Sea issue because she thinks it's a matter between the Philippine and Chinese governments.

Quito said she is more concerned with her own life, as well as how she will be treated if she would travel to China, a trip that she hopes materializes in the near future.

Other people reached by the Global Times on the streets of Manila also showed little concern to this issue when voting.

Wang Xiaopeng, an expert on maritime and border studies at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, told the Global Times that it is the Philippine government and media that have been sensationalizing the South China Sea issue, as the Aquino administration highlights the confrontation between China and the Philippines over the South China Sea issue.

"Nationalist speeches on this issue from some Philippine netizens were also often used by the Western and Philippine media, but they do not represent all the voters," Wang said.

"Filipinos hope for proper domestic and foreign policies that can improve their livelihood," said Gu Xiaosong, an expert on Southeast Asian studies at the Guangxi Academy of Social Sciences.

China is always open to negotiations, but dressed up as a victim, the Philippines keeps acting provocatively, stirring up trouble, aggravating tensions and undermining regional peace and stability, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Lu Kang told a press conference on Monday.

"China will never bully small countries, but we will in no way tolerate small country making up excuses and hurting China's interests," Lu said at the conference.