MANILA, Philippines — Malacanang and the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) placed 38 "hotspots" under monitoring ahead of the 2025 midterm polls, DILG Secretary Juanito Victor "Jonvic" Remulla said on Tuesday.Of the number, 27 are in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).

"After conferring with the President, we discussed extensively the hotspots for the 2025 elections – out of 38, 27 are in the BARMM Region," Remulla said in a Palace briefing. "We will have a special meeting for that on November 15 to discuss the contingencies on what must be done to ensure a safe and fair elections for everyone there."

The DILG will also be paying special attention to the municipality of Albuera in Leyte where there have been previous reports of election-related "casualties."

"We will watch closely what's been happening there," Remulla said.