Business as usual in Smallville complex
If beer sales is to be used as indicator, business at Smallville complex appears normal despite earlier reports that illegal drugs circulate in the area especially at night.
Mayor Jerry Treñas said beer sales in the night strip remains steady based on the details provided to him by representatives of San Miguel Beer Corporation who went to his office seeking permit for the Oktoberfest celebration and national beer drinking contest.
Treñas statement was in response to clamors of some restaurant owners that business activities in the complex was adversely affected after the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) made public the illegal drug transactions taking place in three resto cum bars situated in the area.
The beer sales is one of the many factors that the chief executive used as indicator on whether a restaurant or bar is operating profitably. The Smallville consumes some nine percent of the total beer consumption in the city as reported by San Miguel Corporation. The SMB distributes 9,000 cases of beer in Smallville alone.
Treñas believes business operation in some restaurants gone slow because of the "lean months." It is not only happening here but also in other places. He said he has not received any official complaint from the restaurateurs regarding the effects of the recent bad publicity about Smallville complex.
The chief executive even encouraged the people to visit Smallville area. He assured the safety of the people by deploying additional policemen in the area.