Message from the President

As we celebrate the 50th year of the Assisi Development Foundation, we are invited to reflect with profound gratitude, humility, and renewed resolve for service.

Assisi was born not merely as an organization, but as a shared mission between two friends—Fr. Francis Araneta, SJ and Ambassador Howard Q. Dee—who, in the turmoil of the 1970s and under Martial Law, made a bold, faith-rooted response against poverty and inequality in the Philippines. What started as a partnership grounded in compassion and justice has grown into five decades of steadfast service to the Filipino people, most especially the most vulnerable and disadvantaged.

The name “Assisi” speaks volumes. It embodies spiritual depth, a call to selfless service, and a lasting commitment to those long marginalized in Philippine society. Our founders envisioned Assisi not simply as a charitable institution, but as a faith-driven community of action—a catalyst for social transformation, rooted in solidarity, justice, and peace.

Over the past 50 years, Assisi has brought this mission to life through pioneering and pathfinding programs in:

• Capacity-building and people empowerment

• Education and scholarship support

• Sustainable agriculture and livelihoods

• Water access, health, and child nutrition

• Shelter and housing

• Land security and integrated development for indigenous communities

• Humanitarian response, relief, and rehabilitation

• Cancer patient assistance

• Anti-child trafficking initiatives, and more.

  
  

These are not just projects—they are stories of hope, of lives transformed, of communities strengthened.

Before his passing last year, Ambassador Dee had looked forward with great joy to our celebration over ADF’s 50th anniversary. To him, this milestone was more than a commemoration. It was an invitation to deepen our commitment to Assisi’s founding mission: to fight poverty and inequality in all its forms. Though he is no longer with us, the vision he shared with Fr. Araneta continues to guide our every step. Their legacy lives on in every community we serve, every child we uplift, and every barrier we help dismantle.

This 50th year is not only a time to look back. It is a special time for discernment and bold imagination. It challenges us to design new paths forward, addressing today’s pressing issues—from climate resilience and digital inclusion to mental health and systemic reform. The road ahead will not be easy. But with the wisdom of our Board of Trustees, the passion of our team, and our unwavering faith in God, we are ready to carry the torch into a new era of transformative service.

To our partners, staff, communities, and friends—thank you. This golden milestone is yours as well. Together, let us continue the mission. Let us carry the light forward.