Trafficking (26) While noting the significant efforts of the State party, including the recent convictions of traffickers, the adoption, in 2003, of the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act (RA 9208) with the creation of the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking (IACAT) to coordinate and monitor its implementation as well as the “We are not for sale: Victims of Human Trafficking Speak Up Project”, the Committee is concerned that the Philippines continues to be a source, transit and destination country for cross-border trafficking of women and children for sexual exploitation and forced labour. The Committee regrets the very limited number of cases of filing, prosecution, and conviction of perpetrators of trafficking with many of those cases being dismissed at preliminary stages (arts. 2, 12 and 16). The State party should take all necessary measures to implement the current laws combating trafficking and provide protection for victims and their access to medical, social rehabilitative and legal services, including counselling services, as appropriate. The State party should also create adequate conditions for victims to exercise their right to make complaints, conduct prompt, impartial and effective investigation into all allegations of trafficking and ensure that perpetrators are brought to justice and punished with penalties appropriate to the nature of their crimes. Data collection (27) The Committee regrets the absence of comprehensive and disaggregated data on complaints, investigations, prosecutions and convictions of cases of torture and ill-treatment by law enforcement and military personnel, as well as on extrajudicial killings, enforced disappearances, trafficking and domestic and sexual violence. The Committee takes note of the statement in the report that “a statistical presentation of action done on complaints related to acts of torture is hampered by the absence of a law specifically defining torture” (arts. 12 and 13). The State party should compile statistical data relevant to the monitoring of the implementation of the Convention at the national level, including data on complaints, investigations, prosecutions and convictions of cases of torture and ill-treatment, extrajudicial killings, enforced disappearances, trafficking and domestic and sexual violence as well as on redress, including compensation and rehabilitation provided to the victims. (28) While welcoming the various efforts by the State party towards its ratification of the Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (Optional Protocol), the Committee encourages the State party to consider ratifying the Optional Protocol as soon as possible. (29) The Committee recommends that the State party consider making the declarations under articles 21 and 22 of the Convention. (30) While noting that the State party has ratified all the core United Nations human rights treaties currently in force, the Committee invites the State party to ratify the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance. (31) The Committee invites the State party to submit its core document in accordance with the requirements of the common core document in the harmonized guidelines on reporting, as approved by the international human rights treaty bodies and contained in document HRI/GEN/2/Rev.5. (32) The State party is encouraged to disseminate widely the reports submitted by the Philippines to the Committee and the concluding observations, in appropriate languages, through official websites, the media and non-governmental organizations. (33) The Committee requests the State party to provide, within one year, information on its response to the Committee’s recommendations contained in paragraphs 7, 15, 16, 18 and 19 above. (34) The State party is invited to submit its next periodic report, which will be considered as its third periodic report, by 15 May 2013. 122