Manila  - The Philippines has agreed to provide emergency transit in the country for foreign refugees in need of immediate international protection, the Department of Foreign Affairs said Friday.

Foreign Secretary Alberto Romulo signed Thursday a landmark agreement with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and the International Organization for Migration (IOM) for the emergency transit of refugees, the department said.

Under the agreement, IOM would provide transport to and within the Philippines for the refugees, as well as onward transport to resettlement countries. It would also conduct medical screenings and cultural orientations to prepare the refugees for their new lives.

The accord is the first formal arrangement of its kind entered into by the UNHCR, the department said.

"The agreement provides the possibility of transit in the Philippines, thus assuring better protection for refugees at risk who can now be evacuated prior to resettlement in a third country," a statement said.

The department added that the Emergency Transit Mechanism addresses the challenge of emergency resettlement situations, which threaten to stretch the capability of the UNHCR and its partners and also compromise the well-being of refugees. (dpa)