LET ME start the year by tackling an uncomfortable mix of topics — shabu, crime, basura, and politics — a four-in-one problem concentrated in Barangay Singcang-Airport.
Why this barangay?
Because 2025 closed with city police seizing ₱2.278 million worth of suspected shabu (methamphetamine hydrochloride) in Purok Mainabyanon, Barangay Singcang-Airport, on December 30.
That latest drug haul once again put Singcang-Airport in the spotlight — reviving its long-standing reputation, often tagged in police narratives and public discourse as a hotspot of the illegal drug trade in Bacolod.
But shabu is only part of the story. Singcang-Airport — one of the most densely populated barangays in the “City of Smiles,” with 35,501 residents according to the 2020 Census — has long been associated not only with illegal drugs, but also with crime, garbage problems, and entrenched clan politics.
Ironically, being one of Bacolod’s most vote-rich barangays, Singcang-Airport remains a favored destination for politicians during election season.
The question is: Until when will this barangay continue to carry such a tag?
‘HEADACHE’ FOR COPS
From August to December 2025 alone, official records from the Bacolod City Police Office – Drug Enforcement Unit (BCPO-DEU) show six successful anti-illegal drug operations in Singcang-Airport.
These include:
* December 30 – A raid in Purok Mainabyanon that led to the arrest of suspect Ernesto Candelario, 43, with ₱2.278 million worth of suspected shabu seized.
* December 20 – A raid in Purok Hollow Blocks, arresting a suspect known as “Jesus,” with ₱102,000 worth of shabu confiscated.
* December 4 – A raid in Purok Neptune involving a minor, found in possession of shabu worth ₱122,400.
* November 3 – Another operation in Purok Neptune that netted five robbery suspects, firearms, stolen gadgets, and one sachet of suspected shabu.
* September 22 – A raid along Vicente Yap Street, arresting alias John and alias Jameson, with ₱1.7 million worth of shabu seized.
* August 10 – A raid in Purok Grasya, arresting alias Evon and alias Riche, with ₱544,000 worth of shabu recovered.
Taken together, these operations explain why Singcang-Airport remains a persistent “headache” for Bacolod’s anti-drug operatives.
INFAMOUS CRIMES
With more than ₱4.7 million worth of suspected shabu seized in just five months, it is inevitable that memories of Singcang-Airport’s darker chapters resurface — revived in both thoughts and talk, making every kapehan buzz once again.
Who could forget the case of an uncle who stabbed to death his six-year-old nephew in Purok Sigay on November 2, 2018?
Police reports stated that the uncle was under the influence of shabu when the crime was committed.
There was also the June 22, 2022 killing of a 17-year-old boy, shot dead by his friend — also a minor — allegedly over a drug transaction near a mall in the barangay.
In December 2022, Singcang-Airport again made headlines when Ivan Magbanua, 39, a well-known ice cream businessman from Henrietta Village, was gunned down.
These incidents remain part of the barangay’s collective memory, resurfacing whenever fresh drug operations occur.
SCANDALOUS
Perhaps the most shocking controversy linked to Singcang-Airport was the alleged power pilferage scandal that erupted in 2022, widely described at the time as highly scandalous.
The allegation: the barangay hall of Singcang-Airport was accused of illegally tapping electricity directly from a CENECO post, allegedly consuming power worth over a million pesos over an extended period.
On March 15, 2022, Atty. Marcus Vaflor, then representing Central Negros Electric Cooperative (CENECO), filed criminal complaints for alleged violations of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act.
CENECO also filed separate criminal charges for alleged violations of Republic Act 7832, or the Anti-Pilferage of Electricity Law.
These cases were later reportedly settled, though details of the resolution were not publicly disclosed.
‘RICH IN RUBBISH’
When it comes to basura, Singcang-Airport is no stranger. In fact, it is “rich in rubbish,” generating tons of garbage year after year.
Records from 2019 showed that around 900 sacks of trash were collected monthly from this coastal barangay — placing it among Bacolod’s top garbage contributors.
As recently as September 2025, the Bacolod Environment and Natural Resources Office (BENRO) again prioritized coastal cleanup operations in Singcang-Airport, hauling away tons of trash from the shoreline in just one day.
The picture that emerged was unmistakable: a barangay still deeply sick with garbage.
HARD TO DEODORIZE
Singcang-Airport has long been under the leadership of the Distritos, with siblings Rosenie and Caesar Distrito — now a city councilor — alternating as punong barangay over the years.
The pressing question remains: have these long years of leadership translated into measurable improvements for Singcang-Airport?
Political dynasties and clan politics may already be normalized in Philippine society. That reality alone does not automatically condemn a community. But leadership is ultimately judged by outcomes.
Are Singcang-Airport’s leaders doing enough to confront illegal drugs, crime, and basura?
I recall the words of American politician and lawyer Cory Anthony Booker, who once said: “Leadership is not position or title; it’s action and example.”
That line deserves reflection.
Repeated narratives of drugs, crime, and garbage inflict lasting damage. They shape perception, discourage progress, and create reputations that are hard to deodorize later.
A barangay perceived as drifting toward a “trap house” reputation is on a dangerous path — one that breeds criminality and normalizes disorder.
If these patterns persist, Singcang-Airport risks being seen — not by rumor, but by record — as Bacolod’s own “underworld.”
That would be a tragedy not only for its leaders, but for the thousands of residents who deserve better./PN
