MANILA, Philippines – Around 300 areas in the Philippines may be classified soon as “areas of concern,” the Commission on Elections (Comelec) said on Thursday, March 31, but the poll body is still taking its time verifying the list, so its release to the public has been withheld.

Formerly called “election hotspots,” these areas of concern first submitted by the Philippine National Police (PNP) and the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) to the Comelec are still being “counterchecked” by the poll body’s field offices.

“When we were given a copy last week, we sent it to our Comelec field personnel,” Comelec Commissioner George Garcia said in Filipino during a press briefing.

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“Some of those previously classified as ‘red’ areas became ‘green’ because rival candidates patched things up. Some areas that were ‘green,’ meanwhile, suddenly became yellow,” Garcia explained. “Chairman [Saidamen Pangarungan] deemed it necessary for the last time to order a re-verification not from the PNP or AFP but from our own people.”

While it is unclear how the Comelec will classify “election hotspots” for the 2022 polls, the election body used a color category system in 2019:

• Green – area with no security concern
• Yellow – area of concern
• Orange – area of immediate concern
• Red – area of grave concern

Garcia, who previously said the list would be out by March 31, insisted a careful evaluation of places that will be classified as “areas of concern” is necessary because it will have a huge impact on communities.

“It is not easy to declare a certain area as an election hotspot. Number one, the businesses will take a hit. Number two, the tourism will suffer. Number three, people’s livelihoods will be impacted,” Garcia said.

The Comelec has the power to place certain areas under its control if the situation there will affect the conduct of the polls.

In 2019, among the grounds for declaration of Comelec control included history of intense rivalry among contending parties, violence that may be facilitated by private armed groups, use of loose firearms by unqualified individuals, and serious extremist threat. – Rappler.com