Lapu Lapu victim, who lost high school sweetheart, says system failed him – BC

Another Lapu Lapu Festival victim has come forward, saying he feels failed by the system after the tragedy.

Blaine Redlac, 29, was hit on his right leg and thrown up to 10 metres when a vehicle plowed through the festival in Vancouver on April 26.

He also lost his high school sweetheart, 27-year-old Jendhel May Sico, in the tragedy.

She was the cousin of AJ Sico, who suffered a traumatic brain injury, along with multiple broken bones and nerve damage to his right eye.

Eleven people were killed in the tragedy and dozens were injured.

Redlac has mobility issues and is still off work. He told Global News that dealing with MSP coverage and ICBC has been time-consuming and frustrating.

“I’m so confused how this falls under the no-fault policy,” Redlac said of ICBC. “We’re in the same category as a fender bender victim.”

The enhanced care model was introduced by ICBC in 2021 and has faced complaints in the past.

B.C. Premier David Eby said at an event on Monday that there is a lot the government and ICBC can learn from the Lapu Lapu Festival tragedy.

“I know that questions have been raised about where donations went, making sure that they went to victims’ families instead of to other places,” Eby said. “We’re working with United Way to address those concerns.

“With respect to ICBC, we know the system isn’t perfect, that it needs improvement. It’s a lot better than it was. We’re talking about more than double the amount of money that would have been available under the old system, going to victims to support them in different ways.”

Eby said that almost $4 million has been given in support for victims, including rehabilitation support, victim services and supporting almost 100 people with counselling across B.C.

He added that it is also a good time to do a five-year review of ICBC.

“It’s a new system,” Eby said. “It’s been working for five years. It’s kept rates stable for British Columbians. We have now some of the lowest car insurance rates in the country. We went from having some of the highest rates in the county. Parts of it are working really well. Parts that are not.”

Redlac said he is lucky he has such a strong support network, as he has no idea how he would cope otherwise.

He has found therapy in music, writing and performing songs about his beloved Jendhel.

Redlac said he also has concerns about how donations were prioritized by Filipino BC, United Way and all grant recipients.

Full breakdown of the Lapu Lapu tragedy donations and where the money went

“I hope they exhaust those funds to go to the people that currently need them now… if there’s any available… because as far as those art circles and all of the stuff they did, none of us, my sister, didn’t know any of that was going on,” he said.

“To Filipino BC, United Way, and all grant recipients. I recognize you can say within your right, you followed the rules of the grant, but what I am saying right now, that this money was used at the expense of victims like AJ Sico, receiving time-sensitive, life-altering care.

“Any funds still available from any of the organizations shall be exhausted to the victims who need the funds now.”

The president and CEO of United Way of British Columbia defended the 45 grants that were handed out, after more than $2 million in donations poured in.

Michael McKnight said he can’t speak to everyone’s expectation of where the donated money was going to go.

“I think we communicated in our solicitation to the community the type of work that United Way does,” he said in an interview last week.

“For the last 97 years, United Way has been working with community-based organizations to support social service needs. So it’s consistent with what we’ve done for the last 96 years. And our role in supporting community is about community well-being.”

Redlac is also calling for Filipino BC to scrap plans for a festival next month.

“We’re not there,” he said. “The community is not there.”

Redlac says his healing journey is only just beginning. He is determined to honour his partner’s legacy and expose gaps in the system so future victims of tragedy won’t feel abandoned by their government.

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