January 16, 2026 — Retired hospital care aide Jhosie Sico and her mother were visiting one of her sisters in Burnaby last April 26, 2025, when she got an urgent call from her sister-in-law, Jenny de Guzman, a little past 8 p.m.
Jenny and her husband Rodel were at the Lapu-Lapu festival in Vancouver that day, along with her daughters Jendhel May Sico and Maydhel Ann Sico, Jendhel’s fiance Blaine Redlack, and her daughters’ cousin AJ Sico, Jhosie’s son. Ten minutes after Jenny, Rodel and Ann left the event site, they got a call from Redlack who told them something had happened.
When Jhosie answered her phone, she remembers Jenny telling her, “May nangyari dito. Si Kuya and Ate May, I don’t know where they are (Something happened here. Kuya [big brother, AJ] and Ate [big sister] May, I don’t know where they are).”
Jhosie said they turned on their television and that’s when they heard about the tragic incident at the Lapu-Lapu festival.
Jhosie later learned that AJ, Jendhel and her boyfriend, along with three members of the Samper family, were waiting for their food near a food truck when the car-ramming attack happened. The three members of the Samper family – father Daniel Samper, mother Glitza Maria Calcedo, and daughter Glitza Daniela Samper, along with 27-year old Jendhel — were among the 11 who died in the horrific incident.
AJ was among the seriously injured who were rushed to the Vancouver General Hospital. Jhosie said the next few days were a blur, with her son undergoing extensive surgeries. She said AJ had multiple injuries, including fractured ribs and broken legs, lacerated liver and kidney trauma. He also had brain injury and nerve damage to his right eye. Jhosie said AJ also suffered a stroke while he was in surgery.
It was after his surgeries that one of the doctors at VGH advised Jhosie to decide what to do with AJ. Jhosie recalled the doctor saying to her “You better decide now for him. When are you going to decide? Did you think AJ will like what he's going to see once he gets, once he wakes up?”
The doctor advised them to consider MAID or medical assistance in dying. But she held steadfast in her faith that her son will pull through and rejected the doctor’s dire pronouncement. Through prayers, and the continuous loving care of their family and his girlfriend, Vanessa Hill, they proved the doctor wrong, and AJ is now slowly making progress.
Miraculous recovery
Jendhel May SicoJhosie is glad that her son is doing well with his rehabilitation. Eight months after the horrific incident, the devoted mom is happy to report. “Maganda na recovery niya, nakakatayo-tayo na siya through physiotherapy na tulong at saka he's getting better. Maraming na siyang progress na nagagawa ngayon. Napakalaki na ng progress niya for the last few months na pag ano niya ng therapy (His recovery is going well, he is able to stand a bit with the help of physiotherapy and he’s getting better. He has progressed a lot in the last few months of his therapy).”
Hill, AJ’s girlfriend of almost five years, has stayed by his side this whole time, along with their friends, Diego Tameses and Jerus Caparas.
Tameses and Caparas marveled at AJ’s progress. Caparas described his friend’s recovery as “miraculous” and Tameses noted that it was like going from black to white in a short time.
Caparas said he’s “very grateful to see the state that he's in right now, and I'm excited to see the state that he's going to be in another six months”.
In fact, AJ improved so much that they no longer needed a machine to transfer him from his bed to his wheelchair. Because of this, Jhosie was able to bring AJ home for Christmas and New Year.
Hill believes AJ will make a complete recovery in due time. “He's going to be 100 percent healed miraculously, like, we're believing for a complete miracle, and I think God is already moving so much in his life… It's going to happen.”
Justice for all victims
Jhosie is urging other victims of the Lapu-Lapu tragedy to speak out and let everyone know about their struggles. “Sana magsalita, mag-open ano din sila para naman malaman ng mga tao na talagang hindi naman supportado ang lahat ng naging bikima (I hope they will also open up so that people will know that many of the victims were not supported).”
Jhosie clarified that she has spoken out about their difficulties, not only because they need help, but also because they want justice for all the victims of the Lapu-Lapu tragedy.
Rowena Papasin is a broadcast journalist who has covered major beats and worked as executive producer of “TV Patrol”, ABS-CBN’s most watched news program in the Philippines, before moving to Canada. She was also a contributing reporter and Canada News Coordinator for The Filipino Channel (TFC). Last year, together with a group of former ABS-CBN colleagues who now live in Canada, they launched the digital news platform “Patrol Abroad” on YouTube where she continues to report on stories about the Filipino community, particularly in British Columbia. Based in Metro Vancouver, Papasin likes running, watching K-dramas and crafting.
Editor’s note:
In reply to the above article’s criticisms of FilipinoBC’s support for Lapu-Lapu day tragedy victims, please see FilipinoBC’s statements below dated January 13, 2026 and December 3, 2025 explaining the roles of United Way and Canadian Red Cross in the reception and disbursement of funds donated for Lapu-Lapu day victims.
Filipino BC statement
January 13, 2026 — Thank you for your message and for the work you continue to do in documenting the experiences of the families impacted by the Lapulapu Day tragedy. We did want to share an important concern and some clarifying context regarding the article. United Way is typically not supportive of material that is controversial or could negatively impact their brand, and the current framing of the story — which notes that funding was provided by United Way — may unintentionally imply their endorsement of the claims being made. That implication is inaccurate. While United Way provided funding for your project, they are not endorsing or validating the assertions in the article, and we believe their media team would likely have concerns about this portrayal. At the time the Rowena's story ran, our Impact Report was publicly available. We also note that Rowena did not contact us for comment or clarification prior to publication.
We also wanted to offer the following points for context and clarity:
Many of the agencies, including Maple Bamboo Network, were recipients of the United Way Kapwa Strong Fund. More than 40 nonprofits were funded, many of which provided direct financial support to victims and families. Other agencies funded by United Way also provide direct disbursements to victims. United Way also provided direct support through referrals from Victim Services and the health authorities. This includes all grocery cards, cab payments, and other direct supports that came from the $2 million raised.
Filipino BC recognizes how difficult it can be for victims and families to navigate these systems, especially when multiple agencies and partners are involved. We acknowledge these challenges and continue to advocate for clearer, more accessible pathways to support.
Primary and secondary supports are provided through CVAP, ICBC, and Vancouver Coastal Health. We have been, and continue to be, strong advocates for making these systems more accessible and responsive to both long-term and emerging needs of victims.
We have published an Impact Report that details how funds are disbursed and the overall supports provided. While we are committed to transparency, we cannot discuss specific cases or individual families.
The Impact Report can be shared, and final reports will be completed following our fiscal year and included in partner agencies’ annual reporting.
We also want to clarify that United Way funding allocated to us was $450,000. These were funds that corporations and individuals specifically designated for Filipino BC. This funding was not provided as a lump sum; it is disbursed in stages, and we are required to submit reports to United Way before any funds are released. In alignment with CRA regulations for charities, we are only permitted to pay for goods and services for which we can be directly invoiced, or to fund other qualified organizations (other charities). The Canadian Red Cross did make direct disbursement to the families most impacted and has specific trust provisions within its charter that allow it to do this. This information is also outlined in the Impact Report. We hope this information is helpful and supports a fair and accurate understanding of the funding, the roles of partner agencies, and the supports that have been provided
Filipino BC statement
December 3, 2025 — Filipino BC is issuing this statement in response to recent inquiries regarding our organization and the administration of community support funds.
We note that the individuals who signed the correspondence dated December 3, 2025 are no longer board members or members in good standing of the Filipino Canadian Community & Cultural Society of British Columbia. Accordingly, there is no obligation for Filipino BC to release internal documents such as board minutes, internal reports, or confidential records. All client information in our care remains strictly private and is protected by legal and ethical confidentiality requirements.
We also wish to clarify the role of the Canadian Red Cross and United Way BC in collecting and distributing community donations during disaster response efforts. These organizations are the nationally mandated agencies responsible for coordinating disaster fundraising and allocations across Canada—including for wildfires and major crises such as the 2020 Nova Scotia attacks. They collected community donations and independently distributed funds to victims, next of kin, and to more than 40 non-profit and charitable organizations. Filipino BC had no involvement in determining who received funding or how grants were allocated. For details regarding eligibility criteria, granting matrices, or distribution frameworks, we encourage inquiries to the Canadian Red Cross or United Way BC.
Like all organizations who received funding from United Way BC, Filipino BC was required to submit grant applications detailing activities specifically related to the emergency and recovery response, as well as regular progress reports to receive subsequent disbursements. We did not receive our designated funding in a lump sum.
All funding we received is subject to the same CRA reporting and charitable oversight requirements that apply to every charitable organization. Filipino BC does not issue direct cash disbursements to individuals, as charities are not permitted to do so. Filipino BC provides support only for those under the case management of our Care Team and needs that can be directly invoiced to the society or paid for by Filipino BC in accordance with standard financial controls. If individuals or families are in need of assistance they can contact the Care Team at
The only organization permitted to issue direct financial assistance within the system is the Canadian Red Cross, whose trust provisions in their charter allow for direct disbursements to victims and next of kin.
While we cannot release confidential client-specific information, we can confirm that grant funding has supported temporary housing, medical and dental care, mental health services, food security, travel for victims and their families, and other essential needs identified by care teams and aligned with our organizational purpose. Additionally, the Canadian Red Cross has provided lump-sum payments to victims and next of kin, while United Way BC has addressed immediate and emerging needs through referrals from health authorities and victim services, and by funding dozens of community organizations offering emergency and recovery programs.
Long-term supports—including income replacement—are administered through designated agencies such as the Crime Victim Assistance Program (CVAP) and ICBC.
Filipino BC will provide all financial disclosures as required by law. Our fiscal year runs from April 1 to March 31, which means audited financial statements for the 2025 and 2026 fiscal years are not yet available.
We also confirm that all accounting and reporting for the Kapwa Strong Endowment Fund are conducted by the Vancouver Foundation, which manages the fund under its established governance and financial stewardship practices.
United Way BC has already published an interim report regarding community funding allocations, and Filipino BC will be releasing an impact report in the near future.
We hope this statement helps clarify the responsibilities, processes, and safeguards that guide our work and the administration of these funds. For further details on granting criteria or distribution processes, we encourage the public to contact the Canadian Red Cross or United Way BC directly.
Cool Kuya
Adrian Jonez Sico, or AJ as his family and friends call him, has been like a big brother to his cousins and even to his friends.
Jhosie said her son and his cousin Jendhel May were older than their cousins, so the younger ones looked up to them. She said, “Si AJ ang pinaka-kuya and si May ang pinaka-ate (AJ is the big brother and May is the big sister).”
She said his cousins had a lot of respect for AJ.“May isa siyang salita, sinusunod nila. May authority yung anak ko (He says one word, and they all follow. My son has authority over them.).”
One of his friends, Diego Tameses, also described AJ as everybody’s big brother. He said that AJ is “very energetic and loud. I think he had what I like to call a very ‘kuya’ (big brother) vibe”.
“He was a leader, man-of-the-house type of person, but he was also very youthful at the same time. So, he knew what his responsibilities were, but at the same time, he knew when to let loose, have a good time.”
His mother also said that her 30-year-old son acted as the head of their big extended family, the one they can rely on to solve their problems. Before the accident, AJ promised a cousin who was about to graduate from high school that he would help him plan his future. Without AJ’s guidance now, Josie feels that her nephew now seems a little bit lost.
Before the tragic event on April 26, AJ was working as a barber at Haides barbershop in Surrey. Jhosie said AJ had a lot of other jobs after graduating from high school but she saw that her son looked the happiest as a barber. After Lapu-Lapu, Jhosie said some of AJ’s clients, who have also become his friends, even visited him at the hospital.
Jhosie said it was also her son’s wish to keep their family home in Surrey, which had 11 rooms and was home to the whole family. He did not want to sell their home and reassured his aunts and uncles that they can live there until they grow old. He promised them that he would never bring them to a nursing home.
AJ was renting one of the downstairs suites in the family home and Jhosie said this was a great mortgage helper. But because of his injuries from the Lapu-Lapu attack, AJ may no longer be able to work and pay his rent.
Filipino BC’s help for AJ
Josie shared that Filipino BC, which organized the festival, made sure that they had a place to stay when AJ was still in the hospital. For a time, the organization got them a room at a Holiday Inn, but AJ’s girlfriend, Vanessa Hill, was concerned that the money for the hotel bill would have been better spent if it was used instead to pay for the family’s daily needs. Filipino BC then rented a place for them at West 14th Avenue in Vancouver, so that they need not go back and forth to Surrey while caring for AJ at the hospital.
However, Filipino BC told them that after 90 days, they will no longer be able to give financial support to victims, so the group urged the Sicos to begin making long-term sustainable housing plans.
Jhosie said, “Sa ngayon wala na kaming nakukuha o wala ng tulong na nabibigay sa amin [from Filipino BC] (We’re no longer receiving any help from Filipino BC).”
They were able to get some support from [provincial auto insurer] ICBC, but AJ’s girlfriend said that the insurance will not cover his total rehabilitation. Hill said that it takes them a lot of work to transport AJ back and forth to his rehab session but “they only really allow an hour’s session that they will cover”. She stressed AJ needs not just an hour but a longer session.
Hill added that AJ needs neurological support too as he suffered severe brain injury and stroke. “Unfortunately, a lot of that is just, what we find, is not covered by ICBC. So that's one of the challenges that we're facing.”
AJ’s mother said they also applied for disability, Canada Pension Plan and other benefits for her son but their applications were denied. Jhosie shared that they are also struggling to pay for their mortgage and other daily expenses and they truly appreciate every little bit of help given them by well-meaning groups, like the Bayanihan Community Centre in Victoria.
Jhosie said they also received financial help from the Canadian Red Cross, Surrey Philippine Independence Day Society, and United Filipino Canadian Associations in BC. They have also written to other organizations to ask for financial support, including the Archdiocese of Vancouver, but got no reply.
Still, she is grateful for the help that they have received. “Nagpapasalamat ako na napakaraming nagmahahal sa anak ko (I am grateful for the love that so many others have shown to my son),” Jhosie said.
Jendhel May’s family wants answers about Lapu-Lapu funds
The family of AJ’s cousin, Jendhel May Sico, continues to mourn the loss of their loved one. Maydhel Ann, Jendhel’s sister, said they got a bit of help from Filipino BC in the beginning but not much else.
Ann said, “My parents received $300 for groceries and then I got a $100 compass card so I can take the bus so we could, like, go to the cemetery to visit our sister. That's all the help.”
She said Filipino BC has not reached out to them and they are also hesitant to ask, noting “It was always difficult to even ask for help with all the questions that they'd ask or just all the requirements that they would have us provide them”.
“It just kind of made it difficult to even ask for help,” Ann said.
She also said the organizers of the Lapu-Lapu festival should not make it harder for the grieving families to ask for help. Ann said Filipino BC should “take more accountability for everything that they organized. To just even ask for anything, making it harder to even ask for help when that's what they say they're supposed to be doing.”
Ann is also joining the calls for Filipino BC to be more transparent on how the donations that it received were used.
“Really, it makes no sense to us that there's a capacity that they have to just give a small amount to each family, when it was told that they received so much more than everyone's been receiving. And so it's kind of just interesting to see... It would be interesting to see where their money is really going and why they aren't able to help as much as they claim,” Ann said.
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