Central Visayas: 33 areas identified as election areas of concern

PRO-7 Director, Police Brigadier General Redrico Maranan. | CDN Digital photo by Niña Mae Oliverio

CEBU CITY, Philippines — With only a few months until the May 2025 polls, authorities have identified a total of 33 election areas of concern within Central Visayas.

Among these, only one area has been placed under the red category.

“As of today, we have 33 areas in the whole of Region 7 that is categorized as election areas of concern,” said Police Brigadier General Redrico Maranan, regional director of the Police Regional Office in Central Visayas (PRO-7.

Maranan also revealed that only one area in the region has been classified in the red category so far.

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This categorization was decided due to the presence of an intense political rivalry, history of violence, threats of communist terrorist groups, and the presence of private armed groups and criminal gangs. 

Guihulngan – red category

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) announced on Friday, February 7, that Guihulngan City in Negros Oriental falls under the most critical level in the red category.

Meanwhile, Basay town in the same province was put in the orange category, due to political tensions and a shooting incident during the 2022 elections.

According to Maranan, the latest count of 33 election areas of concern may change in the coming months depending on the outcome of law enforcers’ continuous monitoring and validation of political environments. 

“These numbers will continue to vary. Pwedeng madagdagan, pwedeng mabawasan (More can also be added, more can also be removed). Depending upon the prevailing security environment on that particular area. So this is a continuing effort on the part of the RJSCC, of course headed by our chairperson Atty. Francisco Pobe,” he said. 

Negros Oriental PRO-7 priority area

Last January, the PRO-7 deployed an additional 200 security personnel to Negros Oriental to help ensure the order and peace of the 2025 elections in the province.

The province has been tagged as a priority area for PRO-7 due to political disputes that have caused violent disruptions in previous election seasons.

Maranan assured that PRO-7 would be sending out additional logistical resources in order to mitigate any election-related crime incidents in all places that would be classified as election areas of concern.  

In addition, the PNP’s efforts to conduct checkpoints and regular law enforcement operations for the election season would be supported by personnel of the Philippine Army and Philippine Coast Guard.