Purpose: SIPA enriches and empowers generations of Pilipino Americans and others by providing health and human services, community economic development, and a place where all people of all backgrounds can come together to strengthen community.

Core Values:  SIPA was co-founded by a coalition of progressive and passionate individuals within the Filipino, Asian American & Pacific Islander, and progressive communities in the late 1960’s.  SIPA’s core values, which define us as an organization, are based on the following Indigenous Filipino values:

1. Kawanggawa:  From "awa" (compassion) and "gawa" (action), refers to charity, "a kind act" or "deed of mercy".  Based on notion of pakikipagkapwa, or shared humanity.
2. Damayan: From "damay" (to involve, implicate, draw in), refers to the involvement/engagement aspect of service and community development.
3. Pagtutulongan: From "tulong" (help), refers to peer to peer assistance and in an egalitarian spirit of mutual self-help.

These Filipino values can also be identified through the concepts of :

Primary Goal:  SIPA’s major initiative for the next few years is to deepen the organization’s existence and strengthen it’s mission driven capacity by developing a mixed-use, multi-faceted community and cultural center that will serve as the heart of Historic Filipinotown and for Filipinos throughout Southern California.

Vision:  SIPA’s vision is for all Filipinos in Southern California to say “Magkikita tayo sa SIPA!” or “We’ll see you at SIPA!”