Lucio “Bong” Tan Jr., son and namesake of the country’s second richest man business tycoon Lucio Tan, died yesterday at the age of 53.
Tan Jr., president and chief operating officer of PAL Holdings Inc., on November 9 was taken to the hospital after collapsing during a basketball game.
Tan Jr. is survived by his wife Julie and sons Lucio III and Kyle.
“His untimely passing leaves a big void in our hearts and our Group’s management team which would be very hard to fill. Bong was a son, husband, father, friend and, most importantly, our elder brother whom we all relied on for advice, counsel and leadership, said Tan Jr.,’s sister Vivienne.
Tan Jr. assumed the post of PAL Holdings president and chief operating officer last October 28, replacing Gilbert Santa Maria who remains president of the flag carrier.
Tan Jr. is also the president and chief operating officer of Tanduay Distillers Inc., Tan Jr.; president of Eton Properties and of MacroAsia Corp. and director at LT Group Inc. and Philippine National Bank.
Under Tan Jr., TDI has taken on various green initiatives through its award-winning distillery, Absolut Distillers, Inc. (ADI), in Lian, Batangas.
Tan Jr. first studied in St. Joseph Catholic School and went to Dunman in Singapore in high school. He spent two years of intensive Chinese Language and History Studies at Beijing University before going to the University of California, Davis where he majored in Civil Engineering, minor in Mathematics, Economics, and Linguistics, specializing in Ancient Chinese Classics and Mandarin
Tan Jr. finished his Executive Master of Business Administration program at Kellogg University through a linkup with the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology.
