Statement by Filipino BC on Financial Transparency

FEBRUARY 25, 2026

We remain deeply saddened by the ongoing challenges faced by the individuals and families affected by the April 26 tragedy following the Lapu Lapu Day Festival. Our thoughts continue to be with everyone who has been impacted, especially those who sustained serious and life-altering injuries and lost their loved ones.

From the beginning, our focus has been to support victims and families through recovery — including financial assistance, coordination of services, and helping families navigate complex public health systems, insurance and government support.

We understand that there is a strong expectation that funds raised by the community should prioritize those most severely impacted, and that has been central to our approach. At the same time, this incident affected hundreds of people — including families, witnesses, first responders, and community members — many of whom required trauma supports, navigation assistance and culturally appropriate care.

For this reason, funds were allocated across a combination of:

• Financial assistance delivered through direct payment to providers for approved goods and services  supporting temporary housing, rent, emergency private medical and dental care, rehabilitation, accessibility equipment and devices, food security, mental health services and other essential recovery needs to those most severely impacted and;

• community-based services such as trauma counselling, case management, navigation supports, and programs that support healing and recovery — including art therapy, somatic healing practices, and other culturally grounded supports that help all those affected, including the most impacted families.

In addition to United Way BC’s Kapwa Strong Fund, donors were given the option to allocate funds directly to support the emergency and recovery work of Filipino BC. Of the more $2 million raised, $450,000 was designated to Filipino BC, with the remaining funds distributed to more than 40 partner organizations. The Canadian Red Cross, who is the only organization within this system that was authorized to provide direct financial assistance through unrestricted cash disbursements to victims and next of kin, also raised and distributed more than $435,000 directly to victims and families.

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. 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. To date, we have received $190,000 of this designated funding, with the remaining amount to be disbursed once reporting requirements are completed.

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. 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.. Our team works closely with families to identify their needs and ensure those expenses are covered wherever possible.This ensures transparency, protects the integrity of publicly raised funds and allows us to report accurately to funders and regulators.

We have publicly released statements and an interim report outlining how funds have been managed and distributed, and we remain committed to full transparency and accountability.

As part of that commitment, we have engaged an independent third-party auditor to conduct a comprehensive review of our organization’s financial management and governance, including the receipt, allocation, and distribution of funds related to the Lapu Lapu Day response. This review will examine our full financial records and oversight processes. We will share the findings of this review publicly once it is complete.

We recognize that accessing supports can be complex and often involves coordination between families, insurers, government ministries and multiple organizations. We continue to advocate for families and assist them in navigating these systems.

We have been in direct contact with families and individuals, including those who have recently spoken publicly, and we continue to offer support and assistance, which remains available to them. Out of respect for privacy, consent and dignity, we are not able to discuss individual situations publicly or proactively contact or approach individuals without their permission. Individuals and families can connect with our care team directly or through referral, and we are ready to support them whenever they choose to engage.

Our commitment remains unchanged: to support victims and families with compassion, to steward community funds responsibly and transparently, and to continue working alongside partners to ensure those affected receive the care and support they need.