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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider Int'l community expresses solidarity with PH in wake of Vancouver tragedy

Int'l community expresses solidarity with PH in wake of Vancouver tragedy

Published Apr 28, 2025 03:20 am

At A Glance

  • Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney assured that Canada is behind the Filipino-Canadian community.
  •  
  • "The attack at the Lapu Lapu festival has left our country shocked, devastated, and heartbroken. To those grieving, to those who were injured, to the Filipino Canadian community, and to everyone in Vancouver: Canada is mourning with you, and we are united behind you," he said.<br> 

From Canada to Europe, the international community has extended its condolences and sympathies to the victims of the tragic Filipino community street festival in Vancouver, Canada that now has a death toll of 11 people.

 

Vancouver crash_AP3.jpeg
Visitors pay their respects at a memorial after a vehicle drove into a crowd during a Filipino heritage festival in Vancouver, British Columbia on Sunday, April 27, 2025. (Lindsey Wasson/AP Photo)

 

On Saturday, April 26 (Vancouver time), just as the festival was reportedly wrapping up, a black car driven by a 30-year-old man rammed into the festival-goers, killing at least 11 people, authorities said.
 

As the Filipino community in southern Vancouver makes sense of the tragedy during the Lapu Lapu Day Block Party, the international community reacted to the attack.
 

In a post on its social media pages, the Canadian Embassy in the Philippines said that it was “devastated” by the tragedy in Vancouver.
 

“We are devastated and heartbroken by the terrible tragedy during the Lapu Lapu Festival in Vancouver. We offer our deepest condolences to the loved ones of those killed and injured and we join the Filipino-Canadian community in their time of grief,” it wrote.
 

United States Ambassador to Manila MaryKay Carlson also sympathized with the victims of the festival.
 

“I offer my deepest condolences to the families and loved ones of those killed and injured at the Filipino festival in Vancouver. My heart goes out to everyone affected,” the envoy said.
 

World reacts
 

Present world leaders also posted on their X (formerly Twitter) accounts about the incident.
 

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney assured that Canada is behind the Filipino-Canadian community.
 

“The attack at the Lapu Lapu festival has left our country shocked, devastated, and heartbroken. To those grieving, to those who were injured, to the Filipino Canadian community, and to everyone in Vancouver: Canada is mourning with you, and we are united behind you,” he said on X.
 

The Senate of Canada’s X page showed a photo of the Peace Tower in Ottawa with the Canadian flag flown at half-mast “to mark the tragic deaths that occurred at the Lapu Lapu Festival in Vancouver on April 26, 2025.”
 

The post said that the flag will be flown at half-mast until sunset on April 29, 2025.
 

‘Heartbreaking’
 

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called the tragedy “heartbreaking,” and tagged Carney’s and President Marcos’ official X accounts.
 

“On this sad day, Ukrainians deeply share the pain of Canadians, Vancouver residents, and the Canadian Filipino community. Our condolences to the victims' families, and we wish the injured a speedy recovery. Stay strong, our friends in Canada and the Philippines @MarkJCarney @bongbongmarcos,” he said.
 

United Kingdom’s King Charles and Queen Camilla stated about how they are “profoundly saddened to learn of the dreadful attack and utterly tragic loss of life in Vancouver.”
 

“Our hearts and prayers go out to all those whose lives have been shattered by such a desperate tragedy and we send our deepest possible sympathy at a most agonizing time for so many in Canada,” a statement from his office read.
 

“In the wake of the brutal events in Vancouver, we express our deepest condolences, solidarity and friendship to the people of Canada, and especially the Filipino community. Europe is with you in these difficult times,” EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen stated.

 

In a statement, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) of the United Arab Emirates also expressed its solidarity with the Philippines and Canada as its deplored the tragic car attack. It also wished for a speedy recovery for those injured.
 

No fundraising
 

Meanwhile, the Philippine Consulate General in Vancouver warned the public that certain individuals have set up GoFundMe pages claiming to raise funds for the victims of the festival.
 

A screenshot of the page showed the consulate’s official message as backdrop.
 

“The public is advised that the Philippine Consulate General has not created any fundraising efforts nor has sanctioned any entities to raise funds on behalf of the victims of the Lapu Lapu Day Incident,” the consulate said in a statement posted on its Facebook page.
 

“The public is also advised to exercise vigilance and prudence to avoid being victimized by unscrupulous and malicious actors attempting to exploit this tragedy that has befallen the Filipino Community in British Columbia,” it added.

Related Tags

Volodymyr Zelenskyy Vancouver PH CONSULATE Lapu Lapu Day Canadian Embassy
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