Head coach for the University of the East (UE) men’s basketball team Lucio ‘Bong’ Tan, Jr., who also served as Philippine Airlines Holdings president, passed away yesterday morning. He was 53 years old.
According to reports, Tan died around 9:00 a.m., two days after collapsing while playing in the Pinoyliga Cup over the weekend in Mandaluyong City. He was reportedly unconscious when he was brought to Cardinal Santos Medical Center in San Juan City.
Tan is the son of billionaire businessman Lucio Tan, Sr.
The younger Tan was known as a basketball enthusiast. Prior to his position with UE, back in the 1990s, he revived the Tanduay basketball teams in the Philippine Basketball Association, along with the now-defunct Philippine Basketball League.
He also backed the Batangas City Athletics in the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League.
Tanduay is owned by the elder Tan’s LT Group./ASC, WDJ