Elijah Canlas on honoring his late brother JM through advocacy and sport

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MANILA, Philippines — Two years have passed since Elijah Canlas lost his younger brother, JM. The grief remains, but so does the drive to honor his memory in the most meaningful way possible. Through the KULIT (Kalinga, Unawa at Linang sa Isip at Taglay) Foundation — founded by Elijah and his family — their advocacy for mental health awareness continues to grow. And at the heart of their efforts includes the sport that brings their family together: badminton.

This March 29 to 30, they are set to hold the second JM Canlas Badminton Cup, a fundraising tournament that will help sustain their mission.

“The JM Canlas Badminton Cup is a fundraising tournament for KULIT Foundation, a non-profit organization that my family and I established in honor of my brother, JM Canlas.”

“Kulit” also happened to be the family’s term endearment for JM, who passed away in August 2023. The family didn’t disclose the cause of the death then but issued a statement that he struggled with his mental health.

According to Elijah, the sports event aims to help break the stigma surrounding mental health in the Philippines, start conversations, provide much-needed support to adolescents struggling with their mental well-being, educate parents, not just the kids, about what mental health is through “seminars, workshops, art therapy and talks going around schools.”

“So, the JM Badminton Cup is basically an event to raise funds for these initiatives,” the young actor explained.

Their choice of sport was no coincidence — it was JM’s passion.

“Badminton because si JM was a varsity player of badminton at La Salle Green Hills, and badminton is our family sport,” Elijah said. “More than once a week, nagba-badminton kami bilang pamilya. Minsan kaming dalawa lang, minsan kaming lima, minsan kaming magkakapatid lang. Growing up, it has always been our passion aside from the arts to be sporty and athletic...”

JM, he fondly recalled, was the best among them. “He was the best among us — sobrang passionate siya. He wanted to compete at the UAAP, to get into Ateneo or La Salle, and to represent them in tournaments,” Elijah shared.

“Yun yung naiwan niyang memory sa amin — badminton, the sport that he loved.”

Losing JM was unexpected and in Elijah’s words, “the saddest” experience that they had to go through as a family. And the pain remains.

“(We’re) taking it day by day. Of course, the grief is still there,” Elijah admitted.

“Because what happened was unexpected. I’m sure people who have lost someone they really love would say that grief doesn’t really go away — it stays with you forever. It’s just a matter of how you live with it, how you carry on with your day despite it.

“Paano mo gagamitin yung grief na yun? Malulugmok ka ba o gagamitin mo siya as inspiration?”

For the Canlas family, it led to action.

“The JM Canlas Badminton Cup and the KULIT Foundation are what we’re doing to manage that grief,” Elijah said.

“Ever since naman, we’ve always wanted to help people through charity causes. And then, when what happened to my brother happened, naisip namin na wala na tayong time. Sadly, it was a tragic sign na ito talaga ang gusto naming gawin — to help more people. So, this is how we’re channeling our grief.”

Through their organization, Elijah and his family have met individuals who share their advocacy.

“Technically, mental health hindi pa talaga siya kino-consider or binibigyan ng seryoso na pagtalakay sa mga tao that it’s really part of healthcare. It’s important to acknowledge it as a serious thing. 

“Through the organization, may mga taong nase-seryoso nila, lalo yung talks na ‘oo nga, this is more urgent now more than ever,’ especially with the generation now.

“Dahil na rin sa accessibility of people to information and all that stuff, sana ma-inform din ang mga tao about mental health.”

Meanwhile, when asked how he takes care of his own mental wellbeing, Elijah told The STAR, “Through my work, I try to stay busy… especially making films or music, mas marami akong natutunan about myself and even with the characters I portrayed, marami akong natutunan about people in general.

“So, that’s my way of taking care of my mental health. But other than that, resting is essential and is underrated. Sleeping is underrated. Praying is underrated. These are things that I do every day and try to give importance to, especially rest and prayers. And also spending time with my family and loved ones — it’s such a huge help for my mental health.”  

With the loss of his brother, he has pursued mental health as an advocacy even more. 

“Actually, even before all of this, mental health has always been an advocacy. When I was 17, the same age as him, I was diagnosed with severe depression. I was going through my own stuff,” he revealed.

“I was admitted to the hospital, I was taking my medicine. And it’s not something a lot of people talk about. Even celebrities who went through it — nag-me-meds sila, nagsa-psych sila, na-admit din sila sa hospital, diagnosed with this or that — kasi may stigma nga, it’s hard to talk about it.”

“Hindi naman siya ini-encourage na kailangan pag-usapan right now, but gusto lang naming mawala yung stigma, yung judgment because talking helps. When you go to a psychiatrist or psychologist, pag-uusapan niyo din naman before he or she is diagnosed. So, talking to people you trust helps.”

Nowadays, he said more people have approached him, his parents or his kuya, who are sharing their stories. “I feel like people are just gravitating towards someone who will understand it because it’s hard to put into words.

“It’s hard to articulate what it is that your family is going through. As long we’re open about it, we’re talking about it, not being judgmental, mas marami tayong maliligtas na buhay.” 

Looking back, Elijah shared how his younger brother had touched lives.

“When he was still around, he helped a lot of people. Surprisingly, during his wake, ang daming lumapit sa amin at nagsabi na natulungan sila ni JM sa mental health nila. We didn’t know he helped so many people and then he had a hard time helping himself.

“But other than that, yun ang gusto naming i-celebrate through his memory is the fact that he helped so many people and we would keep helping people for him and his name. Sana maging successful kami dun.”

For Elijah, carrying JM’s memory means embracing his presence in every aspect of life.

“Feeling ko naman, he’s not gone. Like his presence will always be with me. His memory will always be with me. Everything that I do from now on — may it be my career, personal endeavors, this organization — it’s gonna be all for him,” he said.