
Memorial mass in Vancouver to mark 40 days since Lapu Lapu tragedy
The date is significant in Filipino Catholic tradition as the end of a mourning period, and Rev. Francis Galvan says he expects the mass at St. Andrew's Parish church in East Vancouver at 6 p.m. to be crowded.

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Winnipeg Free Press
11-06-2025
- Winnipeg Free Press
Stepping up to help as fires rage
When Lendyll Soriano got a job working with First Nations during the COVID-19 pandemic, he was warmly embraced by the Indigenous community. Now, he wants to give back. The Filipino immigrant, who co-owns Dream Barbers with two partners, has launched a free haircut initiative for Manitoba wildfire evacuees. 'We already had a couple of people come in (Tuesday),' said Soriano, who owns the Portage Avenue shop with Mark Antonio and Albert Amante. Aviva Tabac photo Kavod Thrift Store volunteer Harriet Zimmer with load of donated items for Manitoba wildfire evacuees. In his day job as communications liaison with the First Nations Health and Social Secretariat of Manitoba, Soriano said his Indigenous colleagues have shown him the value of family and helping each other during times of need. 'I wasn't even First Nations, so that's what I appreciated about them,' he said. 'I was learning, and as an immigrant here in Canada, we really didn't have any history of what First Nations history is. So when I started working there five years ago, I really began to understand what First Nations people went through.' Soriano said he has seen firsthand the impact displacement has had on the Indigenous community. 'Some are new to the city, so for us, it's a good way, if grooming is a good way to help out this situation, why not make it a free service for them?' he said. Soriano isn't the only Winnipeg entrepreneur stepping up. Christina Lin became motivated to help after she received a call from a panicked friend in Flin Flon. 'She's an evacuee, and she called me by mistake,' said Lin, a teacher at Modo Yoga, whose two locations in the city — on Donald and Waverley streets — are offering evacuees free admission to any of their classes. 'It inspired me to want to offer more. I brought this to my manager and our owners, and they were like, 'Absolutely. Without question.'' Lin said the studios have removed some barriers, knowing some won't have a yoga mat or a towel to bring with them. 'We know that it's not the first thing on their mind to move their bodies,' she said. 'They're surviving. We just want to let them know, if and when they process it all, if they need somewhere to go and breathe, be in an accessible space, with change rooms for all genders, that it's there for them. You can come be with community, be accepted, be together.' Some are even taking measures into their own hands. After Cranberry Portage was evacuated, resident Barb Bragg spent the past few weeks purchasing more than a dozen water pumps from Winnipeg and delivering them to The Pas, and later, with permission from those fighting the flames, directly to the firefighters in her home community. The 70-year-old retiree made three eight-plus hour trips to hand off the water pumps, even sleeping in her truck at times. 'To (just) be evacuated seems wimpy, in a way, at least for me,' she joked over the phone from Gimli, where she's currently staying, Tuesday afternoon. 'I want to help, I want to do what I can.' A mandatory evacuation order remains for Cranberry Portage, as a 4,921-hectare wildfire south of the community remains out of control. Bragg said she isn't alone in her efforts — others have passed along hose and sprinkler systems. She dropped off the last shipment Monday. Her focus now is on putting together a newsletter to keep her neighbours informed on the status of the wildfires, some of whom, she said, are struggling to cope with the loss of their homes. 'These friends of mine, who've been friends for 50 years, are saying, 'We just found out our house is gone, 'We just found out our house is gone,' 'Mine went, too,' 'Has anybody heard about this one?' … it's the heartbreak of that.' 'If grooming is a good way to help out this situation, why not make it a free service for them?'–Lendyll Soriano Winnipeg's Jewish and Mennonite communities are also doing their parts to make life easier for evacuees. B'nai Brith Canada's Winnipeg chapter is accepting donations of toiletries, diapers, infant formula and other essentials at its Kavod Thrift Store. 'The response has been unbelievable,' said Aviva Tabac, community engagement manager for B'nai Brith Canada. 'It's overwhelming. It's a real feel-good moment.' The donations have included 1,500 toothbrushes given from a local orthodontist. 'Now we want to see if we can get the same number of tubes of toothpaste donated,' Tabac said. Items given to Kavod are checked and sorted before being delivered to groups that are distributing them to evacuees. The executive director of Mennonite Disaster Service said there was an 'overwhelming, fabulous' response to a call for volunteers to help at the Leila Avenue sports centre, where evacuees are registered. The organization has provided between 20-25 volunteers per day at the centre in three shifts, including from midnight to 7 a.m. 'Clearly, people were anxious to help,' said Ross Penner. Wednesdays Sent weekly from the heart of Turtle Island, an exploration of Indigenous voices, perspectives and experiences. Volunteers provide evacuees with essential items and help set up cots for overnight stays. The stream of evacuees at the site has slowed in recent days, Penner said. 'But that can always change if a number of buses suddenly show up.' For more information about donating to Kavod, call 204-487-9623. To volunteer with Mennonite Disaster Service, call 204-261-1274. — with files from Malak Abas and John Longhurst Scott BilleckReporter Scott Billeck is a general assignment reporter for the Free Press. A Creative Communications graduate from Red River College, Scott has more than a decade's worth of experience covering hockey, football and global pandemics. He joined the Free Press in 2024. Read more about Scott. Every piece of reporting Scott produces is reviewed by an editing team before it is posted online or published in print — part of the Free Press's tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about Free Press's history and mandate, and learn how our newsroom operates. Our newsroom depends on a growing audience of readers to power our journalism. If you are not a paid reader, please consider becoming a subscriber. Our newsroom depends on its audience of readers to power our journalism. Thank you for your support.


Winnipeg Free Press
08-06-2025
- Winnipeg Free Press
Chinese ship runs aground off Philippines-occupied island in the disputed South China Sea
PUERTO PRINCESA, Philippines (AP) — A Chinese ship ran aground in stormy weather in shallow waters off a Philippines-occupied island in the disputed South China Sea, prompting Filipino forces to go on alert, Philippine military officials said Sunday. When Filipino forces assessed that the Chinese fishing vessel appeared to have run aground in the shallows east of Thitu Island on Saturday because of bad weather, Philippine military and coast guard personnel deployed to provide help but later saw that the ship had been extricated, regional navy spokesperson Ellaine Rose Collado said. No other details were immediately available, including if there were injuries among the crewmembers or if the ship was damaged, Collado said. Confrontations have spiked between Chinese and Philippine coast guard and navy ships in the disputed waters in recent years. 'The alertness of our troops is always there,' Col. Xerxes Trinidad of the Armed Forces of the Philippines told reporters. But when they saw that a probable accident had happened, 'we tried to provide assistance as professionals' in accordance with international law on helping distressed vessels at sea. 'We're always following international law,' Trinidad said. Filipino villagers living in a fishing village on Thitu, which they call Pagasa island, immediately informed the Philippine military and coast guard after seeing the Chinese ship lying in the shallows about 1.5 nautical miles (2.7 kilometers) from their village, said MP Albayda, a local Filipino official, told The Associated Press. 'They got worried because the Chinese were so close but it was really the strong wind and waves that caused the ship to run aground,' said Albayda, adding that other Chinese ships pulled the stricken vessel away. The stricken ship resembled what the Philippine military had repeatedly said were suspected Chinese militia ships, which had backed the Chinese coast guard and navy in blocking and harassing Philippine coast guard and military vessels in the disputed waters, a busy conduit for global trade and commerce. Thitu Island is home to a Philippine fishing village and Filipino forces and is the largest of nine islands and islets occupied by the Philippines. It lies about 26 kilometers (16 miles) from Subi Reef, which China transformed into an island base along with six other barren reefs to reinforce its claim to virtually the entire South China Sea. Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan are also involved in the long-simmering territorial standoffs, an Asian flashpoint that many fear could pit China and the United States in a major conflict. The U.S. does not lay any claim to the South China Sea but has repeatedly warned that it's obligated to defend the Philippines, it's longtime treaty ally, if Filipino forces, ships and aircraft come under an armed attack, including in the South China Sea.


The Province
06-06-2025
- The Province
Community comes together to honour Lapu Lapu Day victims at 40-day memorial mass
In Filipino Catholic tradition, the 40th day is a sacred time of prayer and remembrance. 'Here I can express my emotions and I'm not alone,' said one memorial attendee Attendees gather for the 40-Day Memorial Mass to honour and pray for those who lost their lives after the tragic events following the Lapu Lapu Day Festival. Photo by Arlen Redekop / PNG The number 40 makes frequent appearances in the Bible. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Exclusive articles by top sports columnists Patrick Johnston, Ben Kuzma, J.J. Abrams and others. Plus, Canucks Report, Sports and Headline News newsletters and events. Unlimited online access to The Province and 15 news sites with one account. The Province ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on. Daily puzzles and comics, including the New York Times Crossword. Support local journalism. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Exclusive articles by top sports columnists Patrick Johnston, Ben Kuzma, J.J. Abrams and others. Plus, Canucks Report, Sports and Headline News newsletters and events. Unlimited online access to The Province and 15 news sites with one account. The Province ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on. Daily puzzles and comics, including the New York Times Crossword. Support local journalism. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors It rained on Noah's Ark for 40 days and nights; Israelis wandered the wilderness for 40 years, eating manna; Moses spent 40 days on a mountain with God and descended with the 10 Commandments, Jesus was tempted by the Devil for 40 days. And for devout Filipinos, it's custom and tradition that when somebody dies, they pray for them for 40 days. On Thursday evening, a couple hundred people attended a 40-day memorial mass to honour and pray for the 11 people who lost their lives at the Lapu Lapu Day festival on April 26. 'In Filipino Catholic tradition, it's believed by many people that for 40 days the souls of our loved ones still walk the Earth, they still remain really close to us,' Crystal Laderas said outside St. Andrew's Parish in east Vancouver, before the mass began. 'So on the 40th day, (the souls) transition to the afterlife and they find peace. Essential reading for hockey fans who eat, sleep, Canucks, repeat. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Please try again This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. 'For a lot of people, this is not about moving on, but parting with love.' It helps people transition to the next phase, she said. 'The mourning will continue, and past the 40 days there will be other events that are needed for collective healing.' Fr. Salvador Reyes Jr. speaks at the 40-day memorial mass to honour and pray for those who lost their lives after the tragic events following the Lapu Lapu Day Festival. Photo by Arlen Redekop / PNG The tragedy, which also injured dozens more people, occurred as Lapu Lapu Day was winding down and families were heading back to their homes. The driver of a black SVU sped past food trucks on East 43rd street, which had been blocked off for pedestrians-only around 8:15 p.m., plowing into the crowded street and sending bodies flying. Kai-ji Adam Lo, 30, who was under the care of a mental health team and on leave from hospital, faces eight counts of second-degree murder. He appeared briefly by video in Vancouver provincial court on Friday, May 30, for his second court appearance. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. He has been sent for a psychiatric assessment, and is scheduled to return to court next week to set a date for his next appearance, which will be for legal arguments on whether he's mentally fit to stand trial. Forty is also the number of days Jesus stayed on Earth after his resurrection before ascending to heaven. 'In an event like this,' said Fr. Francis Galvan, pastor at Sacred Heart Parish in Delta, speaking outside the church before the service, 'as violent, as tragic and as painful as it is, we believers continue to remember (the victims). 'We remember the pain, because all of us are affected by it. But when we remember, we no longer remember just human beings. 'We remember God and how God enters into this, because 40 days is a time of change and transformation.' This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Attendees gather for the 40-Day Memorial Mass on to honour and pray for those who lost their lives after the tragic events following the Lapu Lapu Day Festival. Photo by Arlen Redekop / PNG The tragedy of Lapu Lapu Day was noted around the world. Among those who reached out with condolences and sympathy were King Charles, Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and French President Emmanuel Macron. Galvan, the seventh of 10 children born to farmer parents in a remote village in the Philippines, said he was supposed to be at the festival, but the death of Pope Francis required his attention elsewhere. 'Sometimes we get broken, we don't know the reason, but something happened in our lives and so for us, we're not just praying for those who have died, we also pray for the one who caused this pain,' Galvan said. 'He's a human being also like us. 'We pray for him as well, because there are things that we do not understand as human beings … this is very important because when we pray, we raise our minds and hearts.' This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Galvan was in attendance at Thursday's mass in support of St. Andrew's pastor Fr. Salvador Reyes Jr., who began the service with the hymn Christ Be Our Light: 'Shine in our hearts, shine through the darkness.' That was followed with a passage from Isiah that, Reyes said, emphasizes God's mercy and compassion, even toward sinners : 'I will not accuse them forever, nor will I always be angry.' Eight volunteers with the Provincial Psychosocial Services were on hand to help anyone needing assistance coping with the trauma, with their pamphlets on a table inside the church near doors with posters reading Hope Lives Here. Fr. Salvador Reyes Jr. leads attendees at the 40-day memorial mass to honour and pray for those who lost their lives after the tragic events following the Lapu Lapu Day Festival. Photo by Arlen Redekop / PNG After the service, Reyes led a precession the four blocks to 43rd Avenue, where the tragedy took place. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. They were accompanied by a police escort, six officers in three police cars, which cordoned off the street for the vigil. White-robed children followed close behind, then the congregation, and 11 candles were lit — one for each fatality — at the memorials that have popped up on the fence bordering John Oliver Secondary. On the fence was another sign: 'This is too much to hold, so we hold it together.' Mirikit Santos, who was not at the festival and did not know anyone who was hurt, said she was there because she couldn't bear the burden of her emotions by herself. 'Here I can express my emotions and I'm not alone,' she said. gordmcintyre@ A memorial that has popped up on the fence bordering John Oliver Secondary Photo by Arlen Redekop / PNG Memorial Mass in Vancouver, BC. June 5, 2025. Photo by Arlen Redekop / PNG Memorial Mass in Vancouver, BC. June 5, 2025. Photo by Arlen Redekop / PNG Read More