Fabian Indalecio poses for a photo during an interview with Variety on Wednesday.
LOCAL activist Fabian Indalecio said he is with the marine sports operators and their employees who are opposing the proposed new rules for the commercial use of Managaha.
In an interview on Wednesday, Indalecio said it is “very unfair” for the Department of Public Lands to “favor” Marianas Global, the concessionaire of Managaha.
He said he is “very uncomfortable” with how DPL makes decisions pertaining to the Managaha concession agreement. “I feel like there’s more to this than just amendments to the rules,” he added. “When you keep appeasing Marianas Global, then there must be something fishy or smelly,” he added.
Indalecio said it is “an insult to the intelligence of the people” that DPL continuously “caters to the demands” of Marianas Global. He wonders if DPL “really understands the impact” of the proposed amendments on the people’s livelihood.
“My concern is DPL is involving itself too much,” he added. “It should mind its own business now because the master concessionaire contract is already there. All they have to do is enforce the contract,” Indalecio said.
“Is DPL going to amend every single time Marianas Global cries to them? The DPL secretary is jumping the gun on this,” he added. “What DPL should care about is if Marianas Global is meeting its obligations to pay the government. Don’t just amend the contract without any supporting proof it is necessary,” Indalecio said.
“Anyone out there that is disadvantaged due to these amendments, I am for them. I’m always trying to advocate for people who are disadvantaged,” he added.
On Wednesday, DPL said Marianas Global has failed to pay rent and is not in compliance with its agreement with the department.
An official, who declined to be identified, told Variety that the base rent of $800,000 a year that Marianas Global has to pay is not “doable, realistically.”
Marianas Global also has to pay an additional gross receipt rent of 9%.
