VANCOUVER, B.C. — Alejandro Samper, a 34-year-old Vancouver resident, is grappling with profound grief and frustration following the tragic loss of his family in the Lapu Lapu Festival attack last spring. On April 26, 2025, a vehicle plowed into a crowd at the annual Filipino cultural event in Vancouver's downtown, killing 11 people, including Samper's mother, Glitza Samper, his father, Daniel Samper, and his sister, also named Glitza. Samper, who was preparing to start his shift at work that day and thus spared from the scene, has now turned his attention to the more than $1.5 million raised in donations for victims, questioning where the funds have actually gone.
The incident, which shocked the city's Filipino community and beyond, prompted an outpouring of support through charitable organizations. The United Way of British Columbia, a key player in coordinating relief efforts, released a report this month detailing the distribution of 45 grants totaling over $1.5 million. According to the report, the bulk of the fundraising—more than $500,000—has been allocated to mental health supports, with additional funds directed toward healing circles, art therapy, and community programs.
Yet Samper, speaking to reporters, expressed deep anger and disappointment over the lack of direct aid to survivors like himself. “There’s been not a lot of support from this organization, so we’re just wondering where all this money went,” he said. “It breaks my heart, makes me feel angry, all the emotions, because that money was intended to help us victims.” Samper, who identifies as Latino, emphasized that he has received no outreach regarding counseling or support groups, raising doubts about the reach of these initiatives.
“I never heard of any counselling sessions offered to me,” Samper added. “And I’m Latino, so if I didn’t receive any of this, I’m sure, no, the other victims didn’t receive any counselling sessions. Healing group? Like it’s just a mystery.” He called for greater transparency, specifically requesting a detailed breakdown of how much money went to counselors and who exactly participated in the sessions, describing the current reporting as “all a lie.”
The United Way's report breaks down the expenditures further: seven grants amounting to about $235,000 funded healing circles, while ten agencies received $200,000 for art therapy programs. Miscellaneous allocations included $30,000 to refurbish a basketball court incorporating the colors of the Filipino flag and funding for youth camps. These efforts, according to the organization, aim to address both immediate and long-term community needs in the wake of the tragedy.
United Way BC has faced scrutiny for its handling of the funds, declining multiple interview requests but issuing a statement from CEO Michael McKnight. “Every dollar United Way BC raised in response to the tragedy has gone – and will go – toward supporting the community through registered charities, non-profit programs and community organizations, a practice that adheres to our charitable purpose and Canada Revenue Agency guidelines,” McKnight wrote in the emailed response.
One recipient of the grants, Latincouver, a non-profit focused on Latin American communities in British Columbia, received $55,000. Details from the organization show that nearly $15,000 of this was spent on a health and wellness booth at its Carnaval De Sol event in July, which reportedly reached about 500 attendees. Visitors at the booth shared messages of support for the Lapu Lapu victims, according to Paola Murillo, founder of Latincouver.
Murillo defended the use of the funds, explaining that the booth was part of a broader effort. “It’s not just for a booth,” she said. “It’s also for the facilitators. It’s for all the healing, the people that was there, it’s marketing, more brochures that we have to do, website that you need to do, extra cost that we have to put.” Latincouver also organized several resilience gatherings and healing circles, expending more than $10,000 on activities, space rentals, facilitators, food, and community-building efforts.
“So we bring facilitators, we put our food, we bring the community together, so all of that has an extra expense,” Murillo added. She noted that grant money is permissible for covering salaries, aligning with standard non-profit practices. These events, she said, were designed to foster healing within the broader community affected by the attack, though not exclusively for direct victims.
Samper, however, dismissed such expenditures as disconnected from the needs of those most directly impacted. “We don’t want to go to another crowded event,” he said, referring to the Carnaval De Sol festival. “And that’s where she claims most of the money went to — how many of the victims of this tragedy attended this festival? No, nobody. Nobody wants to go to this festival, like you know, experience a crowded event.” For Samper, initiatives like refurbished basketball courts or festival booths feel irrelevant to his personal recovery, leaving him with mounting questions about accountability.
The Lapu Lapu Festival, named after the 16th-century Filipino chieftain who resisted Spanish colonization, is a cornerstone of Vancouver's vibrant Filipino diaspora, drawing thousands annually to celebrate culture through music, dance, and food. The 2025 event turned deadly when a vehicle rammed into the crowd, an act authorities described as deliberate, though motives remain under investigation by the Vancouver Police Department. In the immediate aftermath, emergency services responded swiftly, treating dozens injured amid the chaos.
Fundraising efforts surged in the days following, with United Way BC emerging as the primary coordinator to ensure donations were managed efficiently and transparently. The organization's model involves channeling funds through established charities, a method praised by some for its oversight but criticized by others for creating layers of bureaucracy that may dilute direct support. Samper's concerns echo broader debates in disaster relief about how to balance community-wide healing with individual victim needs.
As the one-year anniversary of the tragedy approaches, calls for more detailed audits are growing. Samper has indicated he may pursue further inquiries, potentially involving regulatory bodies like the Canada Revenue Agency to scrutinize the grant allocations. “That doesn’t help me,” he said of the current spending, underscoring his desire for funds that address personal losses, such as funeral costs or ongoing therapy tailored to survivors.
Community leaders in Vancouver's multicultural fabric have weighed in variably. While some praise United Way's role in preventing fraud through vetted partners, others, including voices from the Filipino and Latino communities, advocate for victim-led distribution models in future crises. The tragedy has also spotlighted mental health disparities among immigrant populations, with reports indicating that language barriers and cultural stigmas may have hindered outreach to families like the Samper's.
Looking ahead, United Way BC has committed to ongoing support, with remaining funds earmarked for long-term programs. McKnight's statement reiterated the organization's dedication to ethical practices, but without specifics on individual victim aid, skepticism persists. For Alejandro Samper, the quest for answers continues, a poignant reminder of the human cost behind the headlines and the challenges of translating public generosity into tangible relief.