Paper Industries Corporation of the Philippines (PICOP): Its History and Socio- Economic Impact in Bislig City, Surigao Del Sur

Abstract

Paper Industries Corporation of the Philippines, popularly known as PICOP, is a multi- billion-peso wood-based industry operating the only fully integrated pulp and paper mill in Southeast Asia in 1963. Its timber and paper products are known both in local and international markets. It has also the biggest share of forest concessions among other timber and paper corporations in Mindanao. It operates of about 182, 682 hectares in the eastern cost of Mindanao. PICOP’s establishment in 1963 and its productive years of operations through the years had significantly contributed to the development of the socio- economic conditions of the municipality of Bislig. Thus, Bislig City’s development was and end result of PICOP’s corporate design to give the local community economic and social equity through local employment, infrastructural development and long-term livelihood. However, PICOP’s productive years was beleaguered by both external and internal problems--- natural calamities; national economic and political instability; high fuel costs in the international market; unfavorable national market conditions due to market globalization; subtle effects of full privatization; emergence of poachers, smugglers and other unscrupulous illegal log buyers within PICOP’s areas of concessions; and the legal and environmental constraints, affected PICOP’s operation, production, and financial standing that forced PICOP to shut down in 2006. PICOP, now PRI Resource Incorporated (PRI), shutdown in 2006 is a great loss to the community, especially to the local economy of Bislig City, which became almost dependent to PRI’s operations, and the problem of unemployment surfaced. Until this time PRI’s condition is still a national issue that warranted the attention of many policy makers. Furthermore, Bislig City’s local government never lost hope that the national government will find a more feasible solution to redress the problem.

Keywords: PICOP, Socio- economic, Bislig