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OVER 400 cities and municipalities across the country were declared areas of concern ahead of the May 2025 midterm elections, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) said on Thursday, January 9, 2025.
In a press conference at Camp Crame, Quezon City, Comelec Ccommissioner Aimee Ferolino said 188 cities and municipalities were under yellow category, 177 under orange and 38 under red category.
The Comelec identified 1,239 cities and municipalities under green category, which means an area has no security concerns or is relatively peaceful and orderly.
Areas in the yellow category are those where a suspected election-related incident (ERI) occurred in the last two elections without the involvement of domestic terror groups; where intense political rivalry exists without the participation of domestic terror groups; where private armed groups (PAGs) may be employed by candidates; where politically motivated ERIs have occurred during the current election period without the involvement of domestic terror groups; and areas previously declared under Comelec control.
Under this category, the Comelec en banc may order the augmentation of Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and Philippine National Police (PNP) personnel as the need arises.
Of the 188 areas in the yellow category, 19 were in the Ilocos Region, nine in Cagayan Valley, 13 each in Central Luzon and Eastern Visayas, seven each in Calabarzon and Western and Central Visayas, one in Mimaropa, 18 in the Zamboanga Peninsula, 22 in Northern Mindanao, two in Soccsksargen, 11 in Caraga, 10 in the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR), and 49 in the Bangsamoro region.
In Central Visayas, the municipalities of Baclayon, Buenavista, Candijay, and Ubay in Bohol; Basay in Negros Oriental; and Lapu-Lapu City and Pilar in Cebu.
Areas in the orange category are those that combine two or more factors from the yellow category, with serious armed threats posed by communist terrorist groups (CTGs) and/or other threat groups, as may be declared by the competent authority.
If the need arises, the Comelec en banc may direct the augmentation of security forces in these areas, along with the reshuffling of the police force.
Of the 177 areas under orange category, 48 were in Bicol Region, 22 in Bangsamoro, 17 in Caraga, 16 in Central Visayas, 15 in Region 2, 13 in Eastern Visayas, 12 in Mimaropa, 11 in Soccsksargen, nine in Western Visayas, eight in Northern Mindanao, three in Zamboanga Peninsula and one each in Central Luzon, Calabarzon, and CAR.
Among the areas under orange category in Central Visayas were:
*Ayungon, Negros Oriental
*Bayawan Tulong City, Negros Oriental
*Bilar, Bohol
*Bindoy Payabon, Negros Oriental
*Canlaon City, Negros Oriental
*Guihulngan City, Negros Oriental
*La Libertad, Negros Oriental
*Mabinay, Negros Oriental
*Manjuyod, Negros Oriental
*San Miguel, Bohol
*Santa Catalina, Negros Oriental
*Siaton, Negros Oriental
*Sibulan, Negros Oriental
*Tayasan, Negros Oriental
*Valencia Luzurriaga, Negros Oriental
*Vallehermoso, Negros Oriental
Cities and municipalities declared under the red category are those with one or more factors described in the yellow category, along with serious armed threats posed by CTGs and/or other threat groups, as may be declared by the competent authority under the orange category, or through a declaration by other concerned government agencies that any of the grounds for the declaration of Comelec control exist.
Areas in the red category may warrant a motu proprio declaration of Comelec control.
Of the areas in the red category, 32 were in the Bangsamoro region, two in Cagayan Valley, and one each in Western Visayas and Eastern Visayas.
Comelec chairman George Erwin Garcia said the declaration of areas of concern is being made to guide them along with the security forces to iron out their preparations and security deployment to ensure public safety and peace and order before, during and after the polls.
“Ang pagka-classify ng Comelec is more directed sa amin, hindi sa mga tao para naman alam namin kung saan ipe-preposition ang pwersa, alam namin kung alin ang imo-monitor closely, alam namin kung paano kami magre-react in the event kung may problema especially in red category areas,” he said.
(The classification by the Comelec is more directed at us, not at the people, so that we know where to position the forces, we know which areas to monitor closely, and we know how to react in the event of a problem, especially in red category areas.)
“Pero hindi po ito directed sa tao or sa local government unit. Baka akala ninyo po porket naka red matatakot na. Again, sa mga kababayan natin, hindi porket nakita ninyo ang area ninyo under red category ay dapat na kayong matakot o lumipat ng lugar. May makikita kayong dagdag pwersa ng PNP at AFP para sa paghihigpit ng checkpoints natin. Directed po ito more para sa amin at sa AFP at PNP,” he added.
(But this is not directed at the people or the local government units. You might think that just because an area is classified as red, people will be scared. Again, to our fellow citizens, just because you see your area is under the red category doesn’t mean you should be afraid or move to another place. You may notice additional forces from the PNP and AFP for tightening our checkpoints. This is more directed at us, as well as the AFP and PNP.)
Under Resolution No. 10999, the Comelec en banc set the election period from January 12 to June 11, 2025.
During this period, a gun ban will be imposed nationwide except for security forces and other individuals declared exempted, including prosecutors and judges, among others.
The 90-day campaign period for national candidates, senators and party-list groups, will start on February 11 and run until May 10.
Local candidates will be allowed to campaign from March 28 to May 10. (TPM/SunStar Philippines)