Silsilah Foundation, Inc. was established by Fr. Sebastiano D’Ambra and a group of Muslim and Christian friends to foster interfaith harmony and reconciliation in the Philippines in 1984. It was registered with the SEC as a non-stock, non-profit corporation on April 26, 1985. Silsilah is a dialogue movement promoting deeper understanding and better relations between Muslims and Christians. Its members, alumni, families, communities and other linkages are composed of Muslims, Christians and other faiths. Its main office is located at Harmony Village, Pitogo, Sinunuc, Zamboanga City. The foundation has 18 regular staff, 17 part-time staff, 36 contractual staff, 3 volunteers, and 9 members of the Board of Trustees.
Its purposes (V-M-G), among others, are “to be in dialogue with all people, regardless of culture and faith, promoting a Culture of Dialogue with particular emphasis on spiritual values; to be in solidarity with all people in the uplift of the less privileged, in the building up of a progressive, just humane and ecologically sound society. The Foundation’s programs/projects now focus on the following areas: Summer Training Courses on Interfaith Dialogues, Formation, Forums on Harmony & Peace, Education, Holistic Health Care &Livelihood, Farmers’ Training on Sustainable Agriculture, Silsilah Media Center, and a wide range of community services. Geographical scope of programs: The cities of Zamboanga, Davao, Cagayan de Oro, Iligan, Marawi and Manila.
Silsilah Foundation is a recipient of the Goi Peace Award of Japan in 2013 in recognition of its many years of commitment to promote dialogue for peace and solidarity among Muslims and Christians in the Philippines.
It was certified for 3 years on June 6, 2001 and which ended on June 5, 2004. Its certification was renewed for 3 years on October 13, 2006 that ended on October 12, 2009. It took almost 7 years before it re-applied for PCNC certification because they were misinformed about the status of PCNC. They were informed some years back that PCNC was facing challenges with the BIR’s mandate in certifying non-stock, non-profit organizations as donee institutions. It was only in 2015 that an agency informed them that PCNC got back its mandate to certify organizations for donee status.
Its sources of funds include donations and grants from Catholic donor agencies in Germany, Netherlands and Italy, donations from friends and family of Fr. Seb D’Ambra, and revenues from other internally generated income like publications, herbal tea and capsules, etc.
