MANILA — Actor Elijah Canlas once again turned grief into purpose as he hosted the second annual “JM Canlas Badminton Cup,” a tribute to his late younger brother JM Canlas, who passed away on August 3, 2023.

“This is the second annual JM Canlas Badminton Cup. It’s a fundraising event for the KULIT organization, which my family founded to help more adolescents—or people in general—with their mental health,” Elijah shared during the championship round of the event.

Elijah Canlas honors late brother JM in badminton cup: 'Gusto namin madami kaming matulungan'

KULIT, a name affectionately derived from JM’s nickname, also stands for Kalinga, Unawa, Linaw sa Isip, and Taglay—a powerful acronym representing the foundation’s core values of care, understanding, clarity of mind, and inner strength.

“With our experience, with that tragic experience that we went through, parang the only way that we wanted to cope was to help more people, to help save more lives,” said Elijah.

Held over two days, the event gathered friends, fans, and fellow mental health advocates—many of whom played badminton with JM during his lifetime.

“Some of these players, JM played with. Madami dito mga friends ni JM, also fans and supporters. And I think in general, mga sumusuporta lang sa cause ng KULIT organization na passionate din about mental health advocacies,” said Elijah.

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Aside from the badminton matchups, the event also featured a mental health talk aimed at educating attendees. “That’s where we try to educate people here about mental health… Kasi tulungan naman yan eh pagdating sa ganyan,” Elijah explained.

The proceeds from the event will go entirely to the KULIT organization, which seeks to expand its reach through school tours, sports events, art workshops, seminars, and therapy sessions. “This is where we start—dito sa Badminton Cup to raise funds to do that,” Elijah said.

When asked if he misses his brother, Elijah didn’t hesitate. 

“Hella yeah. I super miss JM. And I think he’d be enjoying. Feeling ko siya nga pinakamag-eenjoy sa event like this. Helping more people through the KULIT organization is the best way to cope for my family right now. Instead of just sulking sa bahay… nandito kami aiming and hoping to help more people and save more lives,” he said.

As for his career, Elijah revealed that he’s gearing up for major projects this year. “I’m gonna start shooting for this iconic show… It’s for ABS. It’s an exciting project. Basta, it’s a legendary show and I’m happy to be part of it,” he teased.

He’s also set to star in Savage Land directed by Lino Cayetano, alongside Richard Gomez, and Jaguar directed by Dean Marshall. In addition, he’s preparing to release a new single in the coming weeks.