ILOILO CITY – One-hundred seventy-two barangays in Western Visayas are considered hotspots in the barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) elections on October 30, the Regional Joint Peace and Security Coordinating Center (RJPSCC-6) said.

POLICE conduct a checkpoint in San Dionisio town, Iloilo province in line with the gun ban in the 2023 barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) elections. (Tara Yap)
Dennis Ausan, Commission on Elections (Comelec)-6 director, said this was based on the recommendations made by the JPSCC – an inter-agency body chaired by the Comelec-6 to ensure a peaceful and orderly conduct of the elections – for the region comprised of six provinces and highly urbanized cities.
The list of election areas of concern were validated by the Police Regional Office (PRO)-6 led by Police Brig. Gen. Sidney Villaflor and the 3rd Infantry Division (ID) of the Philippine Army headed by Major Gen. Marion Sison.
These election hotspots were identified based on prior cases of political violence between rivals or the presence of the New People’s Army (NPA).
“This is not yet final. This is subject to continuous assessment of the actual ground situation,” Ausan said on Friday, September 22. “The number of identified areas of election areas of concern could change. It might increase or it might be reduced, if circumstances warrant,” Ausan added.
Of the 172 barangays, three are in the red category or election areas of grave concern. On the other hand, 163 barangays are in the orange category or election areas of immediate concern and only six in the yellow category.
Iloilo, including this city, has the most number of election hotspots with 93. It was followed by Negros Occidental, including Bacolod City, with 51; Capiz, 14; Antique, 12; and Aklan, two. Guimaras has no election hotspot.