MANILA, Philippines — The Commission on Elections (Comelec) identified 1, 239 areas in the country that were declared as election hot spots, including 38 under the red category, for the midterm elections in 2025.
The Comelec classified areas of concern into green, yellow, orange and red.
Green refers to areas that do not have security concerns, and are generally peaceful and orderly.
Yellow areas have reported suspected election-related incidents in the past two elections and the possible involvement of private armed groups.
Orange areas should have a combination of two or more factors under the yellow category, and should have serious armed threats posed by groups like the Communist Party of the Philippines and its armed wing, the New People’s Army.
These areas have also been previously declared under Comelec control.
A total of 188 cities and municipalities are under this category.
Red refers to areas with grave concern and with combined factors under the yellow category and serious armed threats.
Under this category, 32 of the 38 identified areas are situated in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), two each in Cagayan Valley and Bicol, and one each in Western and Eastern Visayas.
The Philippine National Police and Armed Forces of the Philippines said they would deploy additional personnel to areas of grave concern, especially in BARMM to deter potential security threats.
PNP chief Police General Rommel Francisco Marbil said in a press conference at Camp Crame in Quezon City on Thursday that additional forces may be brought to BARMM and that “more” would be asked from the military.
AFP chief, General Romeo Brawner Jr., for his part, said the military started augmenting troops in BARMM “not only because of the election, but we are assisting the government in the normalization process.”
Comelec Chairman George Erwin Garcia, however, said that the list of areas of concern may still change once the official campaign period begins on Jan. 12.
