Analysis
Teodoro ‘Ted’ Alcuitas
Editor, Philippine Canadian News
Nagka watak watak ang komunidad
It was meant to be a ‘Day of Togetherness’ but instead it became a spectacle of divisiveness – exposing a gaping wound in the community.
The event put up by Filipino B.C. last April 19 to commemorate the tragic event on April 26, 2025 was criticized right at the beginning of the announcement by several relatives of the 11 victims who perished in what was called the “darkest day of our city’s history” by then acting Vancouver police chief Steve Rai.
People called, pleaded, for organizers to pause the event as they thought it was still too early and too painful for those grieving their loss.
Yet, Filipino BC ignored their pleas and obviously their pain by going ahead, toning down the event to a ‘ day of togetherness’. There are reports that some performers originally invited to the Italian Centre quietly backed out.
”We will never forget what happened, and today is not about forgetting or rushing forward. We hope today will be about showing up for one another in community, in bayanihan,and in many ways, healing can look different for each person, “ RJ Aquino, Chair of Filipino BC said at the event.
And so it went – with people pinning fresh flowers on a massive commemorative wall to “symbolize their grief and solidarity.” There was food and sharing and an art segment.
But outside, a small but loudly vocal group with their placards were confronting the people inside with their disappointment. Placards saying –
Outside the fence, Jenny De Guzman and Rodel Sico, the parents of Jendhel May Sico, 27, who was killed in the attack, said it was too soon to hold such an event, which only benefits the organizer, Filipino BC.
Sico said it was hard for him to see this year’s event going ahead, especially because the group didn’t ask the families of those killed and injured.
De Guzman said she tried to ask Filipino BC for some financial support, but only received an $800 gift card.
“They haven’t responded to my email,” said De Guzman. “They don’t even help anymore.”
Samper said a few months after the attack, he received about $3,000 from Filipino BC, and was “grateful” at that time.
It was months later, Samper said, that he learned that Filipino BC had received the $450,000 through the United Way.
Return the money
MLA Mable Elmore, the four- term NDP MLA for Kensington, the area where the incident happened, spoke to the crowd calling for ccountability. Two days after, she released a letter to United Way BC to “ask recipients of the Kapwa Strong Fund to return leftover or unspent funds they have, so your organization will be able to distribute the same to directly benefit survivors and families of victims.”
Jhosie Sico said she begged the organizer to stop this year’s event, and seeing them circulating event posters and information felt like “putting the salt in the wound.”
But 35-year old Alejandro Samper, who lost his whole family, said the fate of the donations wasn’t just about money.
“It is about trust,” he said. “Many are asking whether funds given in a moment of crisis were used in the way people believed they would be used.”
“It was like poking your heart already, I don’t think they care. I don’t think they they understand what we’re going through”…
Fr. Francis Galvan of the Sacred Heart Parish in Delta, said there are “so many broken relationships,” divisions and anger in the community following the attack.
Galvan said the fallout has been like a continuation of the tragedy.“The priority should be compassion and sensitivity to the needs of the victims and families,” he emphasized.
“The victims and their families, especially those who have died, they have no more voices to say anything, said Galvan. That’s why we pray for them, we become their voice and their family members.”
How were monies distributed?
In a post on May 2, 2026, Philippine Asian News Today whose publisher is Rey Fortaleza came out with a defense of Mable Elmore. The post seems to discredit the organizations listed but also defended the United Filipino Canadian Associations in BC or UFCABC. Fortaleza is a long time director of this organization.
…”I know that the United Filipino Canadian Associations in BC or UFCABC is among those that received funds from United Way BC’s Kapwa Strong Fund. We also know that UFCABC gave everything to victims and survivors and families. Malinaw yan kung saan pumunta ang pera.
To recap from the list provided by Mable, here are the other organizations that received money at sana isauli na lang nila kung merong tiring (sic) pera:”
- Alliance Philippines Cultural Heritage Association – $50,000
- Amici Curiae Friendship Society – $50,000
- Association for Neighbourhood Houses – Frog Hollow Neighbourhood House – $20,000
- Association for Neighbourhood Houses – South Vancouver Neighbourhood House – $49,483.12
- Bandits Community Foundation – $30,000
- Bibak Organization of British Columbia – $25,000
- British Columbia Bereavement Helpline – $25,000
- Dance West Network – $25,000
- Filipino Canadian Community & Cultural Society of British Columbia (Filipino BC) – $50,000
- Formative Motion Society – $25,000
- Gallery Gachet Society – $3,189.54
- GJ Multicultural Services Society – $65,000
- H.I.M. Health Initiative for Men’s Society – $25,000
- Himig Kabataan Cultural Society – $25,000
- Indigenous Wellness Training Society – $50,000
- Kathara Pilipino Indigenous Arts Collective Society – $25,000
- KCH Collective Society – $25,000
- Latincouver Cultural & Business Society – $55,000
- Mabuhay House Society – $75,000
- Maple Bamboo Network Society – $15,000
- Migrante BC – Filipino Society – $25,000
- Moving Forward Family Services – $25,000
- Multicultural Helping House Society – $25,000
- National Pilipino Canadian Cultural Centre Society – $25,000
- Philippine Cultural Arts Society of BC – $20,800
- Philippine Nurses Association, British Columbia, Canada – $25,000
- PNA Philippine Nurses Association – $50,000
- Pinoy Pride Vancouver Society – $25,000
- REACH Community Health Centre Association – $12,370
- Sher Vancouver LGBTQ Friends Society – $75,000
- St. John Society – $22,800
- The Landing Youth Centre Foundation – $49,955.27
- The Little Mountain Neighbourhood House Society – $50,000
- University of the Philippines Alumni Association in British Columbia – $10,000
- Vancouver International Centre for Contemporary Asian Art – $25,000
- VS. Creative Society – $25,000