DAVAO CITY, Jan. 17 -- Mindanao products will now have the opportunity to penetrate the US market, particularly the Filipino-American communities in Los Angeles, California, the Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA) said on Friday.

This followed after MinDA Secretary Emmanuel Pinol met with the officials and representatives of the Davao Association USA (DAUSA) and Filipino-American Communities in Los Angeles (FACLA) on Thursday.

"We have to take advantage of this huge market in LA to promote and sell our Mindanao products," Pinol said in a statement.

He then instructed his International Relations and Investment Promotions team to prepare for this initiative.

"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," Pinol said.

MinDA initially identified Ben Lao, owner of Lao Integrated Farms Inc. in Barangay Eman Bansalan, Davao del Sur, as one of the USDA-accredited products and a potential pilot provider of products to be marketed in LA.

DAUSA and FACLA president Fernandico Gonong Jr. told MinDA that LA was composed of about 500 Fil-Am associations, making it a potential market.

"We have the largest concentration of Filipinos in US and this 'bayanihan' or networking for Mindanao products is really promising," Gonong said.

"For a better linkage of market products such as frozen bangus and coconut-based commodities, we need to establish a strong e-business platform in addition to the house-to-house delivery," he said.

Pinol said they will also explore frozen bangus, durian, and tablea to be shipped in bulk containers.