Malacañang on Thursday vowed to improve its efforts against human trafficking to improve its ranking in the in the United States Trafficking in Persons Report.
 
Presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda said they welcome the US State Department’s recognition of the government’s campaign to curb human trafficking with a Tier 2 ranking.
 
However, the Aquino administration would like to be taken out of that ranking.
 
“We will continue to improve our efforts. We would like to be taken out of the Tier 2 and that’s certainly a goal that we are looking forward to,” said Lacierda,
 
The Philippines retained its Tier 2 ranking  after making progress in addressing human trafficking but falling short on producing convictions of illegal recruiters.
 
According to a report of the US State Department on Wednesday, the Philippines was listed in Tier 2 category of states that do not fully comply with international anti-trafficking standards because victim identification and protection efforts remained inadequate.
 
The US called the Philippines “a source country and, to a much lesser extent, a destination and transit country for men, women, and children subjected to sex trafficking and forced labor.”
 
Tier 1 countries fully comply with the Trafficking Victims Protection Act (TVPA) minimum standards while Tier 2 countries do not fully comply, but are making significant efforts. - VVP, GMA News