The Commission on Elections (Comelec) head office has kept two areas in Negros Oriental under the red category and downgraded two towns in Negros Occidental to green.
The Comelec retained the red category status of Guihulngan City and La Libertad in Negros Oriental.
Areas under the red category are those with a history of election-related violence and the presence of serious armed threats.
The Comelec downgraded the status of Isabela and San Enrique towns in Negros Occidental from yellow to green, which means they are now considered generally peaceful.
The Comelec Negros Island Region is still waiting for official communication from the COMELEC head office on its areas of concern recommendations.
COMELEC NIR Director Lionel Marco Castillano said their recommendation to the Commission’s Gun Ban and Security Concerns Committee was to classify Candoni in Negros Occidental as orange.
For Negros Oriental they recommended placing Guihulngan City and La Libertad under the red category, Basay as orange and the rest of the province as yellow, Castillano said.
The orange category is for areas of immediate concern where there are serious armed threats.
The Comelec Gun Ban and Security Concerns Committee will make the final announcement on the classifications, Castillano said.*