The Philippines on Monday received the first batch of the Sinovac COVID-19 vaccine its government purchased from China.

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte welcomed the arrival of the CoronaVac vaccine alongside Chinese Ambassador to the Philippines, Huang Xilian, at an air force base in the capital Manila.

Health Secretary Francisco Duque said the vaccine's arrival "is very timely and most crucial," especially when Metro Manila and its adjacent provinces are experiencing a surge in coronavirus infections.

Two batches of the China-donated Sinovac vaccine had previously arrived in the Philippines in February, allowing the Southeast Asian country to kick off its vaccination drive on March 1.

"China now is the first and only country to provide vaccines to the Philippines through both donation and commercial procurement, which is a testament to our traditional friendship with solidarity and closer partnership in the new era," Ambassador Huang said.

The Philippine government is ramping up vaccination efforts in Metro Manila and its four adjacent provinces where most infections have been detected. It aims to inoculate up to 70 million Filipinos this year to achieve herd immunity, starting with health care workers and the elderly.

(CGTN reporter Huang Zhengzheng contributed to the story)