Latest news with #FilipinoCommunity
Yahoo
7 days ago
- Yahoo
3 more murder charges laid against suspect in Lapu-Lapu Day Vancouver festival tragedy
Kai-Ji Adam Lo, the suspect in an alleged Vancouver car-ramming attack at the Lapu-Lapu Day festival, is now facing three additional counts of second-degree murder, according to police, bringing the total number of murder charges against him to 11. Lo is accused of driving his SUV through a crowd of people at the Filipino community's Lapu-Lapu Day street festival on April 26, killing 11 people and injuring dozens more. He was initially charged with eight counts of second-degree murder, and is set to face a court hearing on Wednesday to see if he is mentally fit to stand trial. Vancouver police said in a brief statement on Tuesday that Lo will face three additional counts of second-degree murder after prosecutors reviewed evidence submitted by homicide investigators.A five-year-old girl, eight women and two men were killed in the alleged car-ramming attack. It prompted the B.C. government to commission a report that made sweeping recommendations for event safety in B.C., as well as an outpouring of support for the Filipino diaspora. Many of the details surrounding Lo's Wednesday court appearance are subject to a court-ordered publication ban.
CTV News
7 days ago
- CTV News
More murder charges in Lapu Lapu attack
Vancouver Watch A man alleged to have driven a car through a busy Filipino street festival is now facing 11 second-degree murder charges, according to police.
CBC
7 days ago
- CBC
3 more murder charges laid against suspect in Lapu-Lapu Day Vancouver festival tragedy
Kai-Ji Adam Lo, the suspect in an alleged Vancouver car-ramming attack at the Lapu-Lapu Day festival, is now facing three additional counts of second-degree murder, according to police, bringing the total number of murder charges against him to 11. Lo is accused of driving his SUV through a crowd of people at the Filipino community's Lapu-Lapu Day street festival on April 26, killing 11 people and injuring dozens more. He was initially charged with eight counts of second-degree murder, and is set to face a court hearing on Wednesday to see if he is mentally fit to stand trial. Vancouver police said in a brief statement on Tuesday that Lo will face three additional counts of second-degree murder after prosecutors reviewed evidence submitted by homicide investigators. WATCH | Lo to face hearing: Court to determine if Lapu Lapu festival murder suspect is mentally fit for trial 2 months ago A judge has ordered a hearing to determine if the Lapu-Lapu Day festival murder suspect is mentally fit to stand trial. As CBC News' Karin Larsen reports, Kai Ji Adam Lo could face charges of 8 counts of 2nd degree murder. A five-year-old girl, eight women and two men were killed in the alleged car-ramming attack. It prompted the B.C. government to commission a report that made sweeping recommendations for event safety in B.C., as well as an outpouring of support for the Filipino diaspora. Many of the details surrounding Lo's Wednesday court appearance are subject to a court-ordered publication ban.
CTV News
7 days ago
- CTV News
Accused in Lapu-Lapu attack facing more murder charges, Vancouver police say
Kai-Ji Lo, the accused in the deadly Lapu-Lapu Day attack in Vancouver, is seen with his hand partially covering his face, in a still from a social media video. The man accused of intentionally driving an SUV into the crowded Lapu-Lapu Day festival in Vancouver earlier this year is facing additional murder charges, police announced Tuesday. The B.C. Prosecution Service has approved three more counts of second-degree murder against Kai-Ji Lo, bringing the total to 11 – one for every person killed during the April 26 celebration of the Filipino community. In a news release, the Vancouver Police Department said the additional charges were approved following 'a review of evidence submitted by' homicide investigators. This is a developing story and will be updated.
Arab News
21-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Arab News
Filipinos find new opportunities, make waves as content creators in UAE
MANILA: Margarete Serrano's foray into content creation began in the Philippines nearly two decades ago, when she would upload comedy skits while juggling her responsibilities as a nursing student. What was then a hobby had a boost a few years later, as she moved to Abu Dhabi in 2014, where she found employment as a private nurse. Known online as Em, she started sharing food reviews from her new home abroad. 'Some restaurant owners and managers began to notice my posts and invited me to revisit, which marked the beginning of my food blogging journey. Eventually, I returned to vlogging as well,' Serrano told Arab News. Today, she has nearly 160,000 followers across Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and TikTok, and has transitioned into full-time content creation, sharing her culinary, travel experiences and tips for other overseas Filipino workers. 'I actively participate in community and volunteer events. Through my content, I aim to spread positivity, hope and kindness,' she said. 'I want to inspire others to do good, give back and uplift one another — especially within the Filipino community.' Gulf countries, especially Saudi Arabia and the UAE, are home to nearly 2 million Filipinos. About 700,000 of them live in the UAE. Traditionally employed in health care, education and corporate sectors, some of them, such as Serrano, have turned their social media-savviness and digital creativity into new opportunities. With followers ranging from hundreds of thousands to more than a million, they rise to online fame with content varying from comedy skits to wellbeing, lifestyle and informative videos that help Filipinos adapt and adjust to life in the Middle East. Michael Banua moved to Dubai in 2017 with a degree in chemistry and began his career as an account manager for a construction company. But storytelling has always been his passion. He now pursues it professionally. 'I've always loved storytelling. I once dreamed of becoming a filmmaker or writer, but life took me elsewhere. Content creation brought that dream back. Now I get to tell real, relatable stories in my own way every day,' Banua told Arab News. His 116,000 followers on Instagram are drawn to positive and lighthearted content, in which he always tries to include Filipino culture — 'from humor to everyday moments, so other nationalities can see and appreciate who we are,' he said. 'It's my way of giving Filipinos here a piece of home while celebrating Dubai's diversity, too.' His compatriot and fellow Dubai-based creator, Jep Laguitan, retains his main job as a photographer and videographer. Having lived in the UAE for the past 12 years, he has earned nearly 200,000 followers on Facebook, Instagram and TikTok, aiming his content at Filipinos. 'Mostly, I do comedy videos which attract more OFW audiences,' he said. '(It) makes our kabayan (compatriots) forget about the stress of their day.' Others, such as Mark Ilano, who has about 230,000 followers on Instagram alone, are focused on specific themes. Iland has become widely recognized for his content on menswear as well as Dubai city, creating posts dispensing advice for fashion and styling, as well as smart shopping and money-saving tips. 'I liked the idea of building a community around things we all care about and putting out content that's fun, helpful or inspiring,' he said. 'At first, it was just a hobby, but over time I realized it was something I really wanted to take more seriously.' For Rechel Hoco, who has more than 1 million followers on Facebook alone, the content career also started out of sudden. 'I would film my daily life as an OFW — simple things, nothing fancy. Then one day, I made a video about trying mandi in Dubai, and it suddenly went viral. That's when I realized, 'OK, maybe this is something I can actually grow.' That's where it all began,' she told Arab News. As one of the most high-profile Filipino content creators in the Middle East, Hoco sees her content as something that reflects her embrace of Dubai as home. 'I moved to Dubai in search of better opportunities, and this city gave me more than I ever dreamed of,' she said. 'It helped me grow not just in my career, but also as a person.'
