Some survivors of Lapu-Lapu Day tragedy oppose 2026 festival plans

MLA Mable Elmore speaks at a news conference with opponents of Filipino BC's plans for Lapu-Lapu Day in her office on Saturday, March 14, 2026. (CTV News)

Organizers of this year’s Lapu-Lapu Day festival—dubbed “Lapu-Lapu Day of Togetherness” in memory of the tragedy that unfolded last April—say the 2026 event will focus on reflection and communal healing.

Some survivors of last year’s horrific attack say it shouldn’t be happening at all.

Opponents of the event held a news conference at Vancouver-Kensington MLA Mable Elmore’s community office on Fraser Street Saturday, saying Filipino BC has not done a good job stewarding the donations it received in the wake of the tragedy.

“Based on Filipino BC’s own report, over $2 million were collected in donations,” reads a statement shared by organizers of Saturday’s news conference.

“Out of this total, the single biggest allocation of $451,570—or nearly a quarter of the funds—was earmarked for Filipino BC.”

Val De La Cruz, who was injured in the April 26, 2025 attack along with his wife and son, spoke at Saturday’s event, saying he believes his family has not received adequate support from Filipino BC.

“My family and I have not healed. We continue to deal with the horror we experienced. Another Lapu-Lapu Day is not what we need,” he said in the statement.

“Until Filipino BC is able to explain what happened to the donations, I don’t think they should be organizing another Lapu-Lapu Day.”

As the 2025 festival was winding down, an SUV plowed through the crowd, killing 11 and leaving dozens more injured. Adam Kai-Ji Lo, the man allegedly behind the wheel, is charged with 11 counts of second-degree murder and 31 counts of attempted murder.

In a statement on its website, Filipino BC explains that it cannot legally provide cash directly to victims of the festival attack.

“Since we applied for charitable status, we are required to ensure that funds are used for specific, documented expenses that directly support victims and families,” the statement reads.

“In practice, this means we typically cover the costs of care, equipment, services, accessibility needs, and other eligible supports by either purchasing the required goods ourselves or paying service providers directly, rather than issuing unrestricted cash payments.”

The organization also says that—though roughly $450,000 of the United Way BC’s Kapwa Strong Fund was designated for Filipino BC—only about $190,000 has been provided to the organization so far.

“Funds provided through United Way that were designated to our organization are released in stages and require reporting on how those funds have been used before additional amounts are disbursed,” the statement reads. “This is a standard UWBC and CRA tax regulations governing charities process to ensure funds are used appropriately and transparently to support victims and families.”

For De La Cruz and the community supporting him—which includes Elmore and the United Filipino Canadian Associations in B.C., a group of 65 associations—distributing all of the raised funds should take precedence over hosting another Lapu-Lapu Day event.

UFCBC president Arcie Lim spoke alongside De La Cruz at the event, as did former Filipino BC board member Antonio Ortega.

Ortega was one of four board members who left the organization in December, claiming that Filipino BC was not fulfilling its obligations for financial transparency under the Societies Act.

The four former board members are calling on Filipino BC to disclose all disbursements, their recipients and the support provided, as well as the salaries and fees paid to the organization’s staff, board, contractors and consultants.

Ortega’s new organization, the Lapu-Lapu Society of B.C., is holding a “remembrance dinner” at the Fraserview Banquet Hall on April 12 to mark the anniversary of the tragedy.

“At the heart of the community dinner is reflection, remembrance and compassion. Let’s mark the first-year anniversary of the tragedy in utmost respect and with collective healing,” Ortega said, in the statement.

Filipino BC maintains that its event will bring the community together and serve as an opportunity for healing. It also says plans for a memorial gathering to take place later in April will be shared “soon.”

“Lapu-Lapu Day of Togetherness was thoughtfully programmed to reflect the various needs of community members, recognizing that grief is not linear and healing looks different for everyone,” Filipino BC said in a statement earlier this week.