‘Our heart is with Vancouver’: Montreal vigil to honour victims of Lapu-Lapu Day tragedy

Members of Montreal’s Filipino and broader communities came together on Monday night at Parc Mackenzie-King for a Community Prayer Vigil in remembrance of the victims of the Lapu-Lapu Day tragedy in Vancouver.

“We may be here in Montreal but our heart is with Vancouver,” said Filipino Montrealer, Tess Tesalona.

“The only thing I can really say is I offer my prayers and condolences to them,” added JC Simpauco, a Filipino Montrealer who also attended the vigil. “I can’t even begin to imagine just the heartache and the pain that they’re going through right now.”

Organized by PINAY Quebec, the event took place at 6 p.m. at the Jose Rizal Statue, in the Côte-des-Neiges–NDG borough.

The vigil was a chance for community members to reflect, remember and offer collective support for the victims, their families and the survivors.

“I feel like it’s important for me to show my support not only for my friends from Vancouver but also just the people and the families who are affected by this senseless act of violence,” said Simpauco.

Confirmed speakers included Councillor Stephanie Valenzuela, Father Artemio Calaycay of the Iglesia Filipina Independiente, Vero Bertiz of Centre Kapwa, and Tess Tesalona from Migrante Quebec.

Community members were invited to share prayers, thoughts, and participate in a moment of silence to honour those affected.

“The vigil will be an opportunity for reflection, remembrance, and collective support for the victims, their families, and survivors of the Lapu-Lapu Day Tragedy,” said a spokesperson from PINAY Quebec.

“We really, really have all our hearts and our minds and our thoughts and our prayers for the victims who are still in the hospital and for the victims’ families that are having to deal with this situation,” said Jasmin de la Calzada, Chairperson of PINAY Quebec.

“We are here to think about them and to give this moment some kind of feelings of solidarity for our community,” she added.

“Although we are on the other side of Canada, we still all feel the same amount of loss even though we don’t know the people.”