Latest news with #Bayanihan
SBS Australia
30-05-2025
- Entertainment
- SBS Australia
Melbourne's Filipino seniors to lead 127th Philippine Independence Day tribute to heroes old and new
Bayanihan in Melbourne Inc. is a group of mostly senior citizens dedicated to combating loneliness through social activities and cultural engagement. The event, themed "Greatness of the Past, Strength of the Present," will pay tribute to figures from Dr José Rizal to modern heroes, including nurses, legal advocates, and community changemakers—featuring Rizal's great-granddaughter, now living in Melbourne. Set to take place at St Peter's Eastern Hill Hall, Melbourne, the celebration will include cultural performances, games highlighting Philippine national symbols, and opportunities for social connection. SBS Filipino 29/05/2025 10:56 In an interview with SBS Filipino, Versie Tamblyn, president of Bayanihan in Melbourne, shared that her personal modern-day heroes are mothers. "Mothers sacrifice so much, especially here in Australia, where there's often little help with raising children, unlike in the Philippines, where you might have nannies, parents, and extended family for support. Mothers are often forgotten, even by their own children, yet they continue to love unconditionally. That's why, for me, mothers are true modern-day heroes.' 📢 Where to Catch SBS Filipino
CBC
03-05-2025
- CBC
Northerners come together to honour victims of Vancouver Lapu Lapu Day festival attack
Hundreds attended vigils in Whitehorse, Yellowknife on Friday Hundreds of people gathered in Whitehorse and Yellowknife on Friday to show solidarity with the victims of last week's attack at a Filipino cultural festival in Vancouver. On April 26, a man drove through a crowd of people at the city's Lapu Lapu Day Block Party, killing 11 people and injuring more than 20 others. The festival was a joyful event honouring Datu Lapu Lapu, an Indigenous Filipino freedom fighter who resisted Spanish and Portuguese colonization in the Philippines in the 16th century. Since the attack, communities across Canada have organized vigils and donations for the victims of the tragedy. Friday was also designated a provincial day of mourning in British Columbia. Yellowknife vigil The Yellowknife vigil was organized by the Philippines Cultural Association of Yellowknife (PCAY) and held at Somba K'e Civic Plaza outside of Yellowknife city hall. The event was called Luksang Bayan, meaning Community of mourning. PCAY president Narlie Dapilos began the ceremony by speaking to the Filipino values of Kapwa — solidarity with others — and Bayanihan — coming together — that he saw embodied in the crowd of well over a hundred people, of all demographics. "The significance of this vigil is to show that support, show that Kapwa, that Bayanihan spirit, that we are there for them. Even though we are not there physically, we are there for those who are affected by the tragedy," Dapilos told the crowd. Those remarks were followed by a prayer from Father Brando, a priest who travelled to the event from Norman Wells, N.W.T., a town about 685 kilometres northwest of Yellowknife. The crowd then took 11 minutes of silence to remember each of the victims who died in the attack. Before the event, Dapilos told CBC News that one of the organization's goals was to provide a communal space for members of Yellowknife's Filipino community to heal from the tragedy. "There's strength in community, there's strength in solidarity," he said. "No one has to go through things alone." Image | Yellowknife vigil for Lapu Lapu Day attack Caption: The Luksang Bayan community vigil in Yellowknife included 11 minutes of silence for the people killed in the Vancouver attack. (Sarah Krymalowski/CBC) Open Image in New Tab Cheiyenne Fontanilla, who volunteered to make signs for the event, said it was good to see so many people come together in a time of such sadness. "This Indigenous Filipino concept of Kapua, this shared sense of community, of self, of kindred, it just reflects what Yellowknife, as a community, is as a whole," Fontanilla said. Whitehorse vigil The Whitehorse vigil took place at the Healing Pole on Front Street in the city's downtown. The Dechinta Centre for Research and Learning, the Community Cache and the Canadian Filipino Association Yukon (CFAY) organized the event. Leaders from various community groups spoke in solidarity with the Filipino community at the gathering. Lianne Charlie, an organizer who is also a faculty member with the Dechinta Centre for Research and Learning, hoped the gathering would be an opportunity for different communities to learn from each other and heal together. "As a Northern Tutchone woman, I know that, for our people, we have ethics of caring and sharing. These ethics are embedded in other people's cultures as well," Charlie said. "I really like the idea of us learning that about each other." Community leaders at the gathering spoke of the support the Yukon Filipino community has shown to others. During the gathering, Saba Javed, a member of the Yukon Muslim Society, recalled how the Filipino community immediately welcomed his family — one of the only Pakistani families around. "We have to return that embrace," Javed said. James Antopina, speaking on behalf of the Canadian Filipino Association Yukon during the event, said the support from other communities this past week has meant a lot to him. "As a member of the Filipino community, I can see now how I felt that we are not alone as a minority community," he said. Antopina named the gathering 'I belong to community.' He hopes that message will resonate with each person who attended the gathering. "I wanted the message to be personal," he said.
Saudi Gazette
28-04-2025
- Saudi Gazette
Sorrow and fury among Vancouver's Filipinos after attack on festival
VANCOUVER, Canada — Vancouver's Lapu Lapu festival, meant to be a celebration of Filipino pride, ended in a wail of sirens and screams. Eleven people died and many more were hospitalized after a man drove an SUV through the crowd. "A lot of us are still numb. A lot of us are still angry, confused, sad, devastated — and some of us don't know how to feel, what to feel," said R.J. Aquino, chairman of Filipino B.C., the organization that put on the festival. He spoke at a vigil attended by hundreds of people from across the Lower Mainland on Sunday night. "Honestly, I'm kind of all of the above right now," he added. That was the sense I got from talking to people in the neighbourhood around the festival site all day: an intense mix of shock, sorrow and two Filipino friends I met on the street where it happened, Roger Peralta and Bjorn both arrived in Canada in 2016 and were having a fabulous evening at the festival, listening to the music and eating the food of their homeland."Suddenly I hear this unimaginable noise," Bjorn said."It was a loud bang," Roger men describe seeing bodies bouncing off an SUV just meters away from them."I did not run away," Bjorn said. "I actually followed the vehicle, because I felt like I could stop him."It was horrendous. A lot of people are just lying on the street and crying and begging for help."Almost a day later, Roger said he had not been able to sleep and was in shock, seeing flashes of horror in his mind over and over and finding himself having to stop and he also talked of a strong Filipino spirit that he said will lift the community."We have in our culture Bayanihan," he said. It translates as a spirit of unity and cooperation among Filipinos."When you meet another Filipino, even if you don't know them, you greet them, you feel like they're family, even if you're not."The Premier of British Columbia, David Eby, paid tribute to the Filipino community."I don't think there's a British Columbian who hasn't been touched in some way by the Filipino community."You can't go to a place that delivers care in our province and not meet a member of that community."Our long-term care homes, our hospitals, child care, schools. This is a community that gives and gives."Bjorn, who works at a hospital as a magnetic resonance imaging technologist, agreed."We are very caring people," he he and Roger were furious the SUV got into the crowd in the first place. They said they felt let down by Eby said he feels that rage too."But I want to turn the rage that I feel into ensuring that we stand with the Filipino community," he said in front of a police cruiser blocking access to the crime scene."This event does not define us and the Filipino community or that celebration." — BBC
BBC News
28-04-2025
- BBC News
Sorrow and fury among Vancouver's Filipinos after attack on festival
Vancouver's Lapu Lapu festival, meant to be a celebration of Filipino pride, ended in a wail of sirens and people died and many more were hospitalised after a man drove an SUV through the crowd."A lot of us are still numb. A lot of us are still angry, confused, sad, devastated - and some of us don't know how to feel, what to feel," said R.J. Aquino, chairman of Filipino B.C., the organisation that put on the festival. He spoke at a vigil attended by hundreds of people from across the Lower Mainland on Sunday night."Honestly, I'm kind of all of the above right now," he was the sense I got from talking to people in the neighbourhood around the festival site all day: an intense mix of shock, sorrow and two Filipino friends I met on the street where it happened, Roger Peralta and Bjorn both arrived in Canada in 2016 and were having a fabulous evening at the festival, listening to the music and eating the food of their homeland."Suddenly I hear this unimaginable noise," Bjorn said."It was a loud bang," Roger men describe seeing bodies bouncing off an SUV just meters away from them."I did not run away," Bjorn said. "I actually followed the vehicle, because I felt like I could stop him. "It was horrendous. A lot of people are just lying on the street and crying and begging for help."Almost a day later, Roger said he had not been able to sleep and was in shock, seeing flashes of the horror in his mind over and over and finding himself having to stop and he also talked of a strong Filipino spirit that he said will lift the community."We have in our culture Bayanihan," he said. It translates as a spirit of unity and cooperation among Filipinos."When you meet another Filipino, even if you don't know them, you greet them, you feel like they're family, even if you're not." The Premier of British Columbia, David Eby, paid tribute to the Filipino community."I don't think there's a British Columbian who hasn't been touched in some way by the Filipino community. "You can't go to a place that delivers care in our province and not meet a member of that community. "Our long-term care homes, our hospitals, child care, schools. This is a community that gives and gives."Bjorn, who works at a hospital as a magnetic resonance imaging technologist, agreed."We are very caring people," he said. Both he and Roger were furious the SUV got into the crowd in the first place. They said they felt let down by Eby said he feels that rage too."But I want to turn the rage that I feel into ensuring that we stand with the Filipino community," he said in front of a police cruiser blocking access to the crime scene."This event does not define us and the Filipino community or that celebration."
Global News
27-04-2025
- Global News
Vancouver police to speak live on Lapu Lapu Day festival tragedy
See more sharing options Send this page to someone via email Share this item on Twitter Share this item via WhatsApp Share this item on Facebook Vancouver police will provide a live update on Sunday morning following a deadly incident on Saturday night at the Lapu Lapu festival. Interim Chief Const. Steve Rai will speak at 9 a.m. PT. His comments will be broadcast live. Chaos broke out at the festival around 8 p.m. when, according to witnesses, a black Audi SUV drove through the crowd. A 30-year-old suspect, a Vancouver man, was arrested at the scene. Vancouver police confirmed that at least nine people are dead, including a child, and at least six others are injured. Get daily National news Get the day's top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day. Sign up for daily National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy Investigators have yet to confirm the exact numbers of injuries, saying at a midnight media conference that it would be unfair to speculate as the victims were taken to multiple hospitals in the region. 1:46 Police provide update after car drives into crowd at Vancouver street festival Lapu Lapu Day was officially declared in B.C. on April 27, 2023. Story continues below advertisement The festival celebrates the enduring impact of Filipino values, notably the spirit of Bayanihan – the collective community effort — on the Vancouver community. This story will be updated following the 9 a.m. PT press conference.
