A year after the tragedy, Lapu Lapu festival victims question donations

VANCOUVER — Family members of the Lapu Lapu Day festival tragedy victims said they are not getting as much financial support as they expected, and are calling on organizers to halt plans for this year’s event.

Filipino BC announced this year’s Lapu Lapu Day of Togetherness event will be hosted at the Italian Cultural Centre in Vancouver on April 19, about one year after an SUV plowed into the crowd of festivalgoers, killing 11 and injuring dozens on April 26, 2025.

Blaine Redlac, whose fiancée, Jendhel Sico, was killed at last year’s event, said he suffered a broken leg and was stuck in bed for multiple months after the car hit him, throwing him about 30 feet through the air.

The B.C. government announced that support services for victims of the attack include 24-hour crisis counselling and specialized support from the Vancouver Police Victim Services Unit.

But Redlac said he’s disappointed that victims’ services hasn’t provided him with any crisis support or any counsellor, and that in the aftermath of the attack, it took nine hours to find out that his partner had been killed.

“I can’t even believe that there wasn’t some sort of crisis response, and like social workers allocated to each family to help them with all the admin work, because there was nothing,” Redlac said.

“People weren’t trying to reach out and trying to help you with things. We were just in despair,” he added.

United Way BC launched the Kapwa Strong Fund to support victims and their families, and its website says more than $2 million has been raised, and all donations will be dedicated to community healing and long-term support for those affected.

But Redlac questioned where the donations went, saying he has only received $3,500 from United Way and a couple of $100 gift cards from Filipino BC so far.

He said the crisis response from different organizations and the government was “complete chaos,” and he chose to speak up even though it revived painful memories because he is still hoping people with decision-making power can make changes.

Vanessa Hill, whose partner, AJ Sico, suffered severe injuries, said she had to “beg” Filipino BC to pay for Sico’s feeding formula while he was on a feeding tube for a long period.

The attack left Sico with “severe traumatic brain injury” and a “massive stroke,” Hill said, adding that the doctors thought he was going to be a “vegetable.”

She said Sico is making “miraculous recoveries” and trying to work toward being able to stand independently, but he still needs therapy for that.

“His current most pressing need is to get him oxygen therapy, which is in the (United) States,” Hill said, adding that they are trying to explore all resources to give Sico the best chance of making a full recovery.

Hill said that “it’s a slap in the face” for all victims’ families to see Filipino BC continuing to put on this year’s event while many families are still experiencing “so much trauma and pain.”

Redlac said he felt blindsided as there was no consultation from Filipino BC before they announced their event plans.

“It’s very confusing to me. It’s just odd that they’re going forward with this festival, even though the majority of the community, who are hurting, including politicians, and we’re saying no, like, please don’t,” he said.

Filipino BC hasn’t replied to a request for comment.

Redlac also sent a letter to the chairperson and board of directors of Filipino BC on Friday, formally requesting “clear and complete” financial transparency regarding funds received and managed by Filipino BC.

In the letter dated March 27, Redlac wrote that as Filipino BC intends to host a Lapu Lapu Day next month, and it intends to receive donations and sponsorship related to the event, transparency from the organization is important.

Redlac said he and Sico’s family strongly feel that now isn’t the time for another event.

“Please listen to what we are saying and discontinue your plans for the Italian Cultural Centre on April 19,” Redlac wrote in the letter.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 27, 2026.

Nono Shen, The Canadian Press