The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has identified at least 403 areas of concern for the upcoming 2025 polls, based on the severity of potential threats to the electoral process.
These classifications — red, orange, and yellow — can help determine the level of intervention necessary to maintain order leading to the May 12 elections.
- Yellow – indicates the presence of one or more of the following factors: suspected election-related violence, intense political rivalries, potential deployment of partisan or private armed groups by candidates, politically motivated election-related incidents, or a history of being designated as areas of concern under Comelec control.
- Orange – indicates the presence of serious armed threats as declared by authorities or the identification of two or more factors under category yellow.
- Red – indicates that both criteria for category orange are met.
Below is a map highlighting each area of concern, with cities and municipalities categorized by their designated risk level.
At least 38 cities and municipalities fall under the red category, signaling the most severe security risks. This classification may lead to Comelec to declare control of the area on its own, without waiting for any complaints to be filed. When an area is placed under Comelec control, the commission can assume direct supervision over local employees and law enforcement agencies there. This effectively centralizes authority to prevent election-related violence or interference.
A significant portion of these high-risk areas — at least 32 — are cities and municipalities within the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM). This region historically has faced challenges related to political rivalries and armed conflicts.
At least 177 localities have been classified as orange while 188 areas are listed under the yellow category.
Refer to the table for a complete list of cities and municipalities. Use the filter and search functions to quickly locate specific information.
– Rappler.com