BALANGA CITY- With just days before the 2025 national and local elections, the Police Regional Office 3 (PRO 3) has stepped up its security operations across Central Luzon, deploying over 12,000 personnel to ensure peaceful and orderly polls amid intense political rivalries and identified election areas of concern.
Regional Public Information Office Chief Police Major Aileen Rose Stanger said a total of 12,159 personnel are now stationed in polling precincts, canvassing centers, and regional and provincial headquarters. These include officers conducting law enforcement operations such as Commission on Elections (Comelec) checkpoints and Oplan Sita.
“Our focus is on ensuring the safety and security of voters, maintaining peace in critical areas, and working closely with local authorities to manage political tensions and criminal activities,” Stanger said.
PRO 3 oversees 3,105 barangays across the region, including 2,883 designated voting centers, serving 7.7 million registered voters across 9,584 clustered precincts.
To address potential election-related threats, PRO 3 has identified 11 cities and municipalities experiencing intense political rivalries, particularly among candidates vying for mayoralty positions.
These areas include San Miguel and Meycauayan in Bulacan; Gapan, Jaen, San Leonardo, Cabanatuan City, Cabiao, Aliaga, and Lupao in Nueva Ecija; and Arayat and the City of San Fernando in Pampanga.
Additionally, 16 areas have been tagged under the yellow category, signifying heightened election-related risks.
Among them are Baler and Maria Aurora in Aurora; Mariveles in Bataan; San Miguel and San Rafael in Bulacan; Aliaga, Cabanatuan City, Cabiao, Jaen, Lupao, San Leonardo, and San Antonio in Nueva Ecija; and Arayat, Santo Tomas, and the City of San Fernando in Pampanga.
“We’re taking a proactive stance. Mobile force battalions are now strategically deployed in high-risk areas to intensify patrols, increase police visibility, and respond rapidly to incidents,” Stanger added.
Crime monitoring also forms part of PRO 3’s election preparations. From September 22, 2024 to January 11, 2025, a total of 5,119 incidents were recorded, which dropped to 5,065 from January 12 to May 3, 2025, reflecting a 1.05 percent decrease.
Index crimes declined significantly from 1,161 to 883 cases, with non-index crimes following a downward trend.
To ensure operational readiness, all police units under PRO 3 continue to conduct simulation and communication exercises, focusing on coordination, decision-making, and effective response to potential election-day challenges.
“PRO 3 is election-ready. We have intensified intelligence monitoring, trained our personnel on election-related laws, and we are committed to upholding professionalism and neutrality,” Stanger emphasized.
In close coordination with Comelec, the Armed Forces of the Philippines, and other agencies, PRO 3 assures the public of its readiness to safeguard a secure, credible, and peaceful electoral process in Central Luzon. (CLJD/RPQ, PIA Region 3-Bataan)