DAVAO CITY - President Rodrigo Duterte can work with US presidential candidate Donald Trump because he understands the Republican nominee's outspoken nature, business leaders said Wednesday.

Trump is set to pull off a surprise victory against Democratic rival Hillary Clinton, and his win is seen to herald a protectionist America that may affect remittances from Filipinos in the US and the Philippines' business process outsourcing (BPO) industry.

"Despite the differences between the two, I think Donald Trump will respect President Duterte, that they will actually get on quite well," said Peter Wallace, founder of the Wallace Business Forum.

"I think President Duterte will understand the kind of person Mr. Trump is and be able to work with him. I think it may be good," he told reporters.

Wallace said Duterte is "more insightful" compared to Trump, despite constant comparisons over their shocking statements.

Duterte is also more experienced as a public official, said John Forbes, an adviser of the America Chamber of Commerce in the Philippines.

"Donald Trump has no experience in public policy. All he's done is be in business and he takes a business perspective towards foreign policy and national defense," Forbes told reporters.

Forbes said he was worried over a recession in the US, should Trump make good of his threat to slap a 35-percent tariff on Chinese imports and Beijing retaliates.

Wallace said Trump's protectionist stand would put remittances and the BPO industry in "serious trouble."

"This is not a good man to have as president of the leading country in the world. This is scary," he said.