MANILA: China's Sinopharm has applied for emergency use of its COVID-19 vaccine in the Philippines, the chief of Manila's Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said on Tuesday.

Sinopharm is the sixth vaccine maker to apply for emergency use authorisation in the Southeast Asian country.

The Philippines, which has the second-highest number of COVID-19 cases and deaths in Southeast Asia, has approved the vaccines of Pfizer, AstraZeneca and Sinovac for emergency use.