Establishment of Bislig Economic Zone

The proposed establishment of the Bislig Economic Zone (BEZ) is a strategic initiative designed to revitalize the economy of Bislig City, Surigao del Sur, and position the Caraga Region as a competitive investment destination. Historically, Bislig City served as a national center for trade and commerce, largely driven by PICOP Resources Incorporated (PRI) (formerly the Paper Industries Corporation of the Philippines), which was once the largest integrated wood and paper milling company in Southeast Asia.

Following the definitive closure of PICOP operations, the local economy experienced a severe downward trajectory, resulting in lost employment, diminished local government revenues, and economic stagnation. The rationale behind the BEZ is to harness the strategic geography of Bislig City and its contiguous areas to cultivate a decentralized, self-reliant, and self-sustaining industrial, agro-industrial, and commercial hub. This project aligns directly with national directives like Administrative Order No. 18 (2019) which mandates the accelerated development of special economic zones in rural provinces to de-clog primary metropolitan centers and promote equitable economic growth across the country.

The Establishment of the Bislig Economic Zone (BEZ) involves the development of approximately 75.367182 hectares of land in Barangays San Vicente and Bucto, Bislig City, Surigao del Sur into a modern, sustainable, and investment-ready industrial and agro-industrial estate. Major project components include site development and horizontal infrastructure, internal road networks, drainage systems, power and water distribution, telecommunications, wastewater and solid-waste management facilities, administrative and common facilities, security infrastructure, and logistics support facilities. Upon completion of the investment/construction phase, the project is expected to deliver a fully serviced and operational industrial estate with developed industrial lots and common infrastructure capable of accommodating domestic and foreign investors/locators.

The primary beneficiaries are local residents, workers, farmers, fisherfolk, MSMEs, investors, and businesses in Bislig City and the wider Caraga Region. The project is expected to generate employment and livelihood opportunities, promote local value-added processing, attract private investments, strengthen MSME participation in industrial supply chains, increase economic activity and potential local revenues, and contribute to the transformation of Bislig City into a competitive industrial and logistics hub.

The private sector may participate through a PPP arrangement by providing the necessary financing, technical expertise, design and engineering, construction, operation and maintenance, estate management, utility management, marketing, and locator recruitment. Subject to feasibility assessment and approval under RA No. 11966 and its IRR, the project may be structured as a long-term PPP arrangement wherein the private partner develops and finances the required infrastructure, operates and maintains the economic zone, and recovers its investment through land/lot lease revenues, facility rentals, utility and service charges, common-area maintenance fees, and logistics-related revenues. The final PPP structure, contract period, revenue mechanism, government contributions, and risk allocation shall be determined through the project's feasibility study, Value-for-Money assessment, market sounding, and applicable approval processes.