Latest news with #FilipinoBC
Global News
3 days ago
- Global News
Suspect in deadly Vancouver Lapu Lapu Day attack due in court
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 The man accused of killing 11 people and injuring dozens more by driving an SUV into a crowded Vancouver street festival is due in court on Friday. Kai Ji Adam Lo is charged with eight counts of second-degree murder in the tragedy that struck the Lapu Lapu Day street festival on April 26. Friday's hearing is slated to hear a report on Lo's fitness to stand trial, after he was ordered to undergo a mental health assessment. Story continues below advertisement Advocacy group Filipino BC has called the incident a 'social disaster' and said victims and their families are still navigating the 'emotional aftermath.' 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 'Healing does not follow a straight line. It takes time, care, and community,' the group said in a statement. 'And for many, this past month has been a heavy one.' Earlier this week, members of Parliament held a moment of silence to mark the one-month anniversary of the tragedy. Multiple fundraisers across Canada have raised more than $1 million for victims of the attack.
CTV News
27-05-2025
- Health
- CTV News
Concerns about trauma beneath the surface 1 month after Lapu Lapu tragedy
Candles burn at a memorial for the Lapu Lapu Day block party tragedy in Vancouver, B.C., on Sunday, April 27, 2025. (Sean Kilpatrick/ The Canadian Press) For survivors of the Lapu Lapu festival attack on April 26, physical wounds are beginning to heal. But a month after an SUV plowed into a crowd at the celebration of Filipino culture in south Vancouver, killing 11 and injuring dozens more, there are concerns mental anguish is going untreated. 'There's a crisis starting to emerge and it's just below the surface, and there's a sense that it'll erupt soon,' said RJ Aquino with Filipino BC. While funding has been made available to non-profits to provide mental health supports in the wake of the Lapu Lapu attack, Aquino says not enough people are taking advantage of the treatment. 'They don't want to take resources away from witnesses, and then witnesses don't want to take resources away from people in the hospital, then those folks don't want to take resources away from the families of those who died,' Aquino said. Christi-Ann Watkins, who is recovering from multiple broken bones and road rash over her entire body after being hit from behind by the speeding SUV at the festival, understands that sentiment. 'Mental health and Filipinos is quite new,' she said. 'We were always just taught someone has it worse than you. Mental health, you know, just buck up or just pray.' She is grateful she didn't witness the scenes of carnage like many at the festival. 'For me, the blessing in disguise – besides being alive – is that I didn't see anything. I got hit from behind and then I was on the ground, so all I saw was the sky,' she said. But Watkins' 11-year-old-son, who was also at the festival, did see what happened. 'At this point right now, his brain is protecting him. He doesn't remember anything,' she said. 'But there are other people that saw him that confirmed certain horrific things that he might have seen.' Watkins and Filipino BC are encouraging anyone who's having a difficult time coping after to seek help, whether they attended the festival or not. 'We're seeing it's difficult for many who are experiencing trauma to even realize just how much they've been impacted themselves,' Aquino said. 'We're hearing how they're still like, 'Oh, my friend hasn't left the house.' 'I'm afraid to go across the street until it's absolutely clear.' It really has done a number on people's sense of security and well-being.' He's worried if people continue to suffer in silence, there could be further tragedies. 'It's a dangerous and insidious thing when people start to withdraw, when people start to isolate themselves, not everyone may understand what they're going through, what they're feeling or have the tools to process that themselves,' Aquiino said. There are links to mental health supports connected to Lapu Lapu on
Globe and Mail
26-05-2025
- Globe and Mail
One month after Vancouver vehicle attack, MPs pay silent tribute to Lapu Lapu victims
Members of Parliament held a moment of silence on the one-month anniversary of the deadly attack on the Lapu Lapu Day festival in Vancouver, as members of the Filipino community and others continue to grapple with its impact. Newly elected Speaker Francis Scarpaleggia said all parties in the House of Commons agreed to mark the occasion, with parliamentarians bowing their heads in observance of what he called a 'tragic event.' Advocacy group Filipino BC said in a statement marking the anniversary that witnesses, victims and their families are still navigating the 'emotional aftermath' of the attack that killed 11 people and injured dozens more. The statement said tragedies such as floods and fires left tangible results, but the attack was a 'social disaster' with invisible impacts on communities and their sense of safety and with no 'clear perimeter.' 'Healing does not follow a straight line. It takes time, care, and community,' the statement said. 'And for many, this past month has been a heavy one.' It said the 'full ripple effect' of the attack is yet to be seen, as people deal with lasting trauma that can manifest itself in different ways 'quietly beneath surface.' 'Some may not even realize just how much they've been affected until much later,' the organization said. Filipino BC said it was 'heartbreaking' that there had been hesitation from some people to seek help in the belief that others are more in need, with witnesses more concerned about people injured, and injured people more concerned with the families of those who died. 'This unspoken hierarchy of grief is dangerous, and it's not how healing works.' Sammie Jo Rumbaua, a director with the Filipino non-profit Mabuhay House, said the society has been working with the community and other organizations as they grieve, amid a 'sense of real urgency' to gather communally. Rumbaua said prayers on June 5 will mark 40 days since the attack, a significant date in the Filipino Catholic tradition, but the tragedy 'still feels very fresh.' 'Survivors of violence and victims, they're not ready to talk,' she said Monday. 'A lot of them haven't been able to talk about the situation, (or) go back to the site.' She said many people from all communities affected by the attack are 'really still reflecting on what has happened.' Rumbaua said there are also looming questions about the security of future community events in Vancouver, and how the city dealt with memorials to the victims. She said upcoming events to mark Filipino heritage and independence – such as the Pinoy Festival in Burnaby on June 14 – have shifted from celebratory themes to reflecting on the attack's lasting effects. She said the push by Mabuhay House to build a Filipino cultural centre remains a long-standing goal, and the attention the tragedy has brought has 'amplified' a number of other issues facing the diaspora, including live-in caregivers and temporary foreign workers. 'It's great that our stores are finally being heard in the mainstream to see the need for what our community has been doing for Canada,' she said. There have been several fundraisers for victims, and United Way BC says it has raised about $1.3 million. Multiple fundraisers were held over the weekend, including in New Westminster, B.C., where 'Soup Nazi' actor Larry Thomas, best known for his role as a strict soup seller on the sitcom 'Seinfeld,' served soup as part of a fundraiser at the Greens And Beans Deli on Sunday. A three-kilometre run was held earlier that day at the Toronto Zoo to raise money for United Way's Kapwa Strong Fund, which offers grants to not-for-profit organizations supporting those affected by the attack. And a tribute concert took place on Saturday in Surrey, B.C., hosted by the local Philippine Independence Day Society, which issued a statement saying nine Surrey families were impacted by the tragedy. The attack on the Lapu Lapu Day festival took place on April 26 when an SUV rammed through a crowd, causing what Vancouver Police Chief Steve Rai called the 'darkest day' in the city's history. Adam Kai-Ji Lo faces eight counts of second-degree murder and further charges are anticipated. He is due back in court on Friday.
Global News
26-05-2025
- Politics
- Global News
‘Emotional aftermath' still fresh 1 month after Vancouver Lapu Lapu day attack
Members of Parliament held a moment of silence on the one-month anniversary of the deadly attack on the Lapu Lapu Day festival in Vancouver, as members of the Filipino community and others continue to grapple with its impact. Newly elected Speaker Francis Scarpaleggia said all parties in the House of Commons agreed to mark the occasion, with parliamentarians bowing their heads in observance of what he called a 'tragic event.' Advocacy group Filipino BC said in a statement marking the anniversary that witnesses, victims and their families are still navigating the 'emotional aftermath' of the attack that killed 11 people and injured dozens more. 6:49 Continued effort to help raise funds for Lapu Lapu Day victims and families The statement said tragedies such as floods and fires left tangible results, but the attack was a 'social disaster' with invisible impacts on communities and their sense of safety and with no 'clear perimeter.' Story continues below advertisement 'Healing does not follow a straight line. It takes time, care, and community,' the statement said. 'And for many, this past month has been a heavy one.' It said the 'full ripple effect' of the attack is yet to be seen, as people deal with lasting trauma that can manifest itself in different ways 'quietly beneath surface.' 'Some may not even realize just how much they've been affected until much later,' the organization said. Filipino BC said it was 'heartbreaking' that there had been hesitation from some people to seek help in the belief that others are more in need, with witnesses more concerned about people injured, and injured people more concerned with the families of those who died. Get breaking National news For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen. Sign up for breaking National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy 'This unspoken hierarchy of grief is dangerous, and it's not how healing works.' Sammie Jo Rumbaua, a director with the Filipino non-profit Mabuhay House, said the society has been working with the community and other organizations as they grieve, amid a 'sense of real urgency' to gather communally. Rumbaua said prayers on June 5 will mark 40 days since the attack, a significant date in the Filipino Catholic tradition, but the tragedy 'still feels very fresh.' 1:27 Lapu Lapu festival tragedy victims honoured with moment of silence in House of Commons 'Survivors of violence and victims, they're not ready to talk,' she said Monday. 'A lot of them haven't been able to talk about the situation, (or) go back to the site.' Story continues below advertisement She said many people from all communities affected by the attack are 'really still reflecting on what has happened.' Rumbaua said there are also looming questions about the security of future community events in Vancouver, and how the city dealt with memorials to the victims. She said upcoming events to mark Filipino heritage and independence — such as the Pinoy Festival in Burnaby on June 14 — have shifted from celebratory themes to reflecting on the attack's lasting effects. 2:33 'Soup Nazi' attends fundraiser supporting Lapu Lapu tragedy victims She said the push by Mabuhay House to build a Filipino cultural centre remains a long-standing goal, and the attention the tragedy has brought has 'amplified' a number of other issues facing the diaspora, including live-in caregivers and temporary foreign workers. 'It's great that our stores are finally being heard in the mainstream to see the need for what our community has been doing for Canada,' she said. Story continues below advertisement There have been several fundraisers for victims, and United Way BC says it has raised about $1.3 million. Multiple fundraisers were held over the weekend, including in New Westminster, B.C., where 'Soup Nazi' actor Larry Thomas, best known for his role as a strict soup seller on the sitcom 'Seinfeld,' served soup as part of a fundraiser at the Greens And Beans Deli on Sunday. 3:33 Vancouver to move memorial of Lapu Lapu festival tragedy A three-kilometre run was held earlier that day at the Toronto Zoo to raise money for United Way's Kapwa Strong Fund, which offers grants to not-for-profit organizations supporting those affected by the attack. And a tribute concert took place on Saturday in Surrey, B.C., hosted by the local Philippine Independence Day Society, which issued a statement saying nine Surrey families were impacted by the tragedy. Story continues below advertisement The attack on the Lapu Lapu Day festival took place on April 26 when an SUV rammed through a crowd, causing what Vancouver Police Chief Steve Rai called the 'darkest day' in the city's history. Adam Kai-Ji Lo faces eight counts of second-degree murder and further charges are anticipated. He is due back in court on Friday.
Global News
26-05-2025
- Global News
Toronto renews festival safety funding in wake of in wake of Lapu-Lapu Day attack in Vancouver
The City of Toronto will allocate $2.1 million this year to help festivals stay secure, after 11 people were killed in a vehicle ramming at Vancouver's Lapu Lapu Day festival last month. Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow announced the renewal of a special events funding program at an event on Monday that gathered about 150 festival organizers and security experts to discuss safety. Chow said what happened in Vancouver at the festival organized by Filipino BC was heartbreaking. 'We mourned,' she said. 'Our spirit is strong, the spirit that comes from working together, the spirit that comes from all the thousands of organizers that organized the most successful festivals, from all over the world.' She said people in Toronto must not let fear dictate their lives, and the city will work with festivals to ensure they are successful, safe and 'remain joyous.' Story continues below advertisement Chow said the city will also provide a $100,000 seed grant and technical assistance for festival organizers to create a nonprofit association that can promote their interests. Get breaking National news For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen. Sign up for breaking National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy The City of Toronto said it will also share new resources to support event planning and delivery. The deadly attack on a Vancouver street festival prompted event organizers across Canada to comb over their security practices in a bid to protect attendees and assure them festivals are safe. Some planners had already begun that process when British Columbia Premier David Eby announced last month he would call an independent commission to investigate how other regions handle festival security, to ensure residents of his province feel confident going to community events this summer. But some say a spate of international attacks in recent years and increased demands from insurance companies meant they were already attuned to the issue — particularly given the rising cost associated with security. Eleven people were killed and dozens more were injured when a man drove an SUV into the crowd at the Lapu Lapu Day festival in Vancouver on April 25. Vancouver Police Chief Steve Rai said a risk assessment was conducted before the event and police had decided no heavy-vehicle barricades were necessary. He said he was confident in the assessment process, but police would review the decision. Story continues below advertisement The festival summit in Toronto on Monday was a success and allowed participants to share knowledge, Chow said. 'We learned a lot about best practices of how we could collectively buy insurance together, what are some of the mitigation effects, how we could work with the emergency services and what kind of things we must do to make sure it's safe,' she said. The money Chow announced Monday will go towards Toronto's Special Events Stabilization Initiative. The city introduced the program last year, offering $2 million to help cover festival expenses in 2024 related to health, safety and security. That included funding for fire and paramedic services and 'hostile vehicle mitigation,' which is meant to lower the threat of a criminal or terrorist attack.
