For the victims of the Lapu-Lapu day tragedy and their families, questions still remain about where donations to support them have gone.

On April 26, 2025, 11 people were killed and dozens more injured after an SUV rammed into a crowd of people attending the festival’s block party in Vancouver. Following the deadly attack, nearly $2 million was raised through the United Way Kapa Strong Fund. Of that amount, $450,000 was designated to Filipino BC, the organization responsible for the event, to be shared with those who were impacted.

Blaine Redlac sustained serious injuries from the car-ramming attack as well as suffered the loss of both his fiancé Jendhel May Sico and friend Glitza Daniela.

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Redlac says he has only received $3,500 from United Way and a handful of gift cards from Filipino BC in the 11 months since.

On March 27, Redlac held a press conference to deliver a letter to the organization seeking transparency as to how much of the raised funds went to victims and their families and how much they paid their staff and contractors and service providers.

“We’re just curious, that’s really what it is, because a lot us that were directly impacted didn’t get the help that the public has seemed to have thought,” he said.

“There’s clearly been a misappropriation of funds here, and what I believe to be the culture of donations in our province needs to be addressed and safeguards need to be put in place.”

Filipino BC says it has yet to receive the letter and is unable to respond at this time.

“I wish to emphasize that this request is made to support transparency and maintain community trust. Open disclosure will help reassure donors, partner organizations, victims, and the broader public that funds donated for humanitarian purposes were managed appropriately,” Redlac said in his letter.

Vanessa Hill, whose long-time partner, AJ Sico, is still recovering from severe injuries, says getting support from Filipino BC has been a struggle.

“I had to beg them to pay for some of AJ’s tube-feeding formula, because he was on tube feed for a really long time,” she said.

“They paid for three months of the tube-feeding formula. This was after they cut contact with me and they then said the payment that they were going to to was up.”

Filipino BC has since announced it will be going ahead with the Lapu-Lapu Day festival again next month — something Hill says is a slap in the face, as the organization did not consult those directly affected.

“They are continuing to fundraise for this next Lapu-Lapu Day Festival, which makes absolutely no sense to me, because how can they put their efforts towards fundraising for the next festival when they haven’t done any sort of fundraising for the victims that are still experiencing so much trauma and so much pain.”