MinDA taps help of Fil-Am groups for Mindanao products in California

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY—-Malacanang’s extension in Mindanao, the Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA) is tapping the help of Filipino-American groups in California to help develop markets for Mindanao products in the US state to boost income of local farmers and growers.

MinDA chair Emmanuel Piñol said the large concentration of Filipinos in California, particularly in Los Angeles, presents a good opportunity for exporting Mindanao products there.

“We have to take advantage of this huge market,” Pinol said.

Last December, Piñol sent the Mindanao Business Mission to California to explore export prospects in the state which is the most populous in the United States.

California’s economy is also the largest among all the US states.

Last week, Piñol met with officials of the Davao Association USA (DAUSA) and Filipino-American Communities in Los Angeles (FACLA) which saw good prospects for marketing Mindanao products in their communities.

Piñol quoted DAUSA and FACLA president Fernandico Gonong Jr. as saying there is huge potential for Mindanao products in Los Angeles because of the huge population of Filipino-Americans in one of California’s largest cities.

The Filipino community in Los Angeles is composed of about 500 Filipino-American associations, ripe for the ‘bayanihan’ or networking-type of marketing products, Piñol said, citing the discussions with Gonong.

Piñol said there was a need to promote Mindanao products in different
trade and business events in Los Angeles.

For starters, Pinol said he was looking at bringing frozen milkfish, durian and chocolate tablets, or tablea, to the Los Angeles market.

Edited by TSB