Ateneo Alumni Association of BC Leads Community Walk in Solidarity with Filipino Community After Lapu-Lapu Festival Tragedy

By Audra Lucero-Garcia

VANCOUVER, BC – May 24, 2025 – On Saturday morning, members of the Ateneo Alumni Association of British Columbia (AAABC), together with their families and friends, gathered at Memorial South Park in Vancouver for a symbolic walk to the memorial site at Fraser Street and 43rd Avenue. The walk was a heartfelt gesture of unity and compassion in the wake of the tragic incident at the Lapu-Lapu Festival.

More than a march of mourning, the walk was a demonstration of collective strength — a quiet but powerful act of bayanihan to stand with the victims and their loved ones.

At the growing memorial site, participants laid a floral wreath and tied white, red, and blue ribbons to the fence — each ribbon a symbol of support, remembrance, and hope.

Leading the initiative were AAABC officers and board members, including President Bob Afan, Vice President Alex Imperial, accompanied by his wife, Ning.  They were joined by members of the Ateneo alumni community and their families, including Immediate Past President Ricky Cruz, Mike and Esper Calingo, Alya and Gary Manansala, Lit and Anj Onrubia, Gigi and Roy Ricarse, Greg and Audra Garcia, and Christian Cunanan.

AAABC encourages those who wish to contribute to the ongoing support efforts to donate through the Archdiocese of Vancouver, which continues to provide aid to the victims and their families.