The city government of Bislig is looking for a private partner to build and run an economic zone on about 75 hectares of land in Barangays San Vicente and Bucto. The proposal, called the Establishment of the Bislig Economic Zone (BEZ), was listed as an investment opportunity for the Belt and Road Summit deal-making sessions held in Hong Kong from September 9 to 15, 2026.
The listing was posted by the city's Local Economic Development and Investment Promotions Office and last updated on September 5, 2026. Attached to it is the project concept note prepared by the city, which lays out what the zone is meant to be and how long it could take.
Why the city wants it
The concept note is direct about the reason. It says Bislig was once a national center of trade largely because of PICOP Resources, which it describes as once the largest integrated wood and paper milling company in Southeast Asia. After PICOP closed for good, the note says, the local economy suffered "lost employment, diminished local government revenues, and economic stagnation."
The BEZ is the city's answer to that gap. The note says the city lacks an industrial base, local processing facilities and investment-ready infrastructure, and that its agricultural resources are underused. The zone is meant to give farmers, fisherfolk, small businesses and outside investors a place to process products and set up operations locally.
What would be built
According to the concept note, the project covers 75.367182 hectares in San Vicente and Bucto. (One section of the same document also lists Barangay Sibaroy as part of the site.) The plan calls for:
- site development, internal roads and drainage
- power, water and telecommunications lines
- wastewater and solid waste facilities
- administrative buildings, common facilities and security
- logistics support facilities
The city says the site was chosen partly for its access to existing roads and its closeness to the Bislig City Airport and port facilities. The note also says the city administration has started talking with Philippine Airlines about reviving commercial flights to the Bislig airport, which it calls a major requirement for the zone.
How it would be paid for
The city is offering the project as a public-private partnership under Republic Act No. 11966, the PPP Code. A private partner would finance, build, operate and maintain the zone, and earn its money back through land and lot leases, facility rentals, utility charges and logistics fees. The concept note says the final contract terms, government contributions and risk sharing will only be settled after a feasibility study and a value-for-money assessment.
No project cost is stated in the listing or the concept note.
Where things stand
The listing classifies the BEZ as being at the "Idea / Concept Stage." The concept note reports some groundwork already done. It says the Environmental Management Bureau in Caraga has approved an Environmental Compliance Certificate for the proposed zone, that the city has signed a partnership with the Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA) for technical help and marketing, and that a technical working group has been formed to oversee compliance.
The city's own indicative timeline is long. It targets internal approval of the concept note between October and December 2026, approval by the Department of Economy, Planning, and Development board in early 2027, and the actual bidding in October and November 2027. Contract signing is targeted for December 2027. These are targets, not commitments, and construction would only follow after a winning bidder is chosen.
What it means for Bislig businesses
For now, nothing changes on the ground. But if the timeline holds, local suppliers, contractors and small businesses could see the first concrete opportunities around the zone in 2028. The concept note lists MSMEs, farmers and fisherfolk among its primary intended beneficiaries and says it wants local firms in the zone's supply chains. Bislig Today will follow the project as it moves through approval.
Sources: Bislig City project listing for the Belt and Road Summit 2026 deal-making sessions (updated September 5, 2026) and the attached Project Concept Note for the Establishment of Bislig Economic Zone.