Mindanao products will soon be marketed in the US market, particularly among the Filipino-American communities in Los Angeles, California.
This developed after Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA) Secretary Emmanuel Piñol recently met with officials and representatives of the Davao Association USA (DAUSA) and Filipino-American Communities in Los Angeles (FACLA). It is a follow through of the Mindanao Business Mission of MinDA to California, USA last December 2019 where initial talks on marketing Mindanao’s products happened between the MinDA and the two groups.
DAUSA and FACLA President Fernandico Gonong Jr. said the Filipino community in Los Angeles, composed of about 500 Fil-Am associations, is a big opportunity to market the Mindanao products.
“We have the largest concentration of Filipinos in US and this “bayanihan” or networking for Mindanao products is really promising,” Gonong said.
MinDA chair Sec. Manny Piñol said the agency will need to “take advantage of this huge market in LA to promote and sell our Mindanao products.”
Gonong identified frozen bangus and coconut-based commodities as products that could be marketed in California.
Piñol said they will also explore frozen bangus, durian, and tablea to be shipped in bulk containers.
“We have to identify potential MinDA Coordinating Officers based in LA who are willing to represent the interest of Mindanao, as well as to promote our products in various trade and business activities there,” Piñol said.
MinDA International Relations Chief Jonathan Miral said the agency will coordinate with the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) regarding this latest development.
MinDA initially identified Ben Lao of Bansalan, known for his USDA-accredited products to be the pilot provider of products to be marketed in LA. (Rommel F. Lopez)