‘Makes me feel angry’: Lapu Lapu victim questions where donation money went – BC | Globalnews.ca
A man who lost his family to the Lapu Lapu tragedy is questioning how the money that was donated to the victims is being spent.
Alejandro Samper’s mother, Glitza, his father, Daniel, and his sister, Glitza, were killed after a vehicle rammed a crowd at the Lapu Lapu Festival in Vancouver on April 26, 2025.
Samper, 34, wasn’t at the festival with them, as he was about to start work.
Eleven people were killed in total.
The United Way of BC published a report this month that stated it has distributed more than $1.5 million in the form of 45 grants following the deadly charity.
But Samper said that he feels angry about what has happened.
“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.”
The report stated that the majority of the fundraising, more than half a million dollars, went toward mental health supports.
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In addition, seven grants totalling roughly $235,000 were spent on healing circles; ten agencies received a total of $200,000 on art therapy; and the rest went to miscellaneous items, such as $30,000 to refurbish a basketball court with the colours of the Filipino flag and youth camps.
“I never heard of any counselling sessions offered to me,” Samper said.
“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.”
Samper said he would like to see a breakdown of how much counsellors received and who received the sessions because he said it’s all a lie.
Despite multiple requests, United Way BC declined to do an interview, but in an emailed statement, CEO Michael McKnight said the grants go towards supporting immediate and long-term needs.
“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,” he wrote.
An organization called Latincouver received $55,000 in grants.
Details show that it used almost $15,000 for a health and wellness booth over two days at its Carnaval De Sol in July.
Paola Murillo, founder of the organization, told Global News that the booth reached about 500 people and visitors were sharing messages of support for the Lapu Lapu victims.
“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.”
But Samper said something like that is irrelevant to the victims.
“We don’t want to go to another crowded event,” he said.
“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.”
Latincouver held several resilience gatherings and healing circles, spending more than $10,000.
Murillo said they had to pay for the activities and the space to hold these events.
“So we bring facilitators, we put our food, we bring the community together, so all of that has an extra expense,” she added.
Murillo also said the grant money is used and is allowed to be used to pay salaries.
But Samper said he is left with more questions than answers in his search for accountability and transparency.
“That doesn’t help me,” he said.
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