Bong Tan hospitalized after basketball game collapse

MANILA, Philippines — PAL Holdings Inc. president Lucio “Bong” Tan Jr., son of taipan Lucio Tan, was brought to the hospital yesterday.

A statement issued by the family said the 53-year-old Tan collapsed during a basketball game in Mandaluyong City. 

He was admitted to a nearby hospital where he was in stable condition as of press time.

“He is currently under observation and will undergo a series of diagnostic tests,” the Tan family’s statement said.

“During this difficult time, the Tan family is requesting media and the public to respect their privacy,” it added.

Bong has taken a more active role in Philippine Airlines (PAL) in recent months.

He was appointed president of PAL Holdings, the holding company of flag carrier Philippine Airlines, late last month.

He also serves as vice chairman of PAL and head coach of the University of the East basketball team.

PAL, the country’s only four-star global airline, has a network covering more than 30 domestic and 40 international destinations with a young fleet of 98 advanced-technology aircraft.

The flag carrier is ranked the 30th Best Airline in the world, having recently been awarded the World’s Most Improved Airline honors for 2019 by Skytrax and the 4-Star Major Airline award from the US-based Airline Passenger Experience Association.

Bong’s father, Lucio Tan also known as Kapitan, was ranked sixth wealthiest in Forbes magazine’s “2019 Forbes Philippines Rich.”

The Tan family’s LT Group Inc. is a listed holding company and is one of the country’s biggest conglomerates with businesses in banking through Philippine National Bank, tobacco through Philip Morris-Fortune Tobacco, liquor through Tanduay Distillers, property development through Eton Properties Philippines Inc. and beverage through Asia Brewery Inc.

The family is also behind listed MacroAsia Corp., an aviation-related services company involved in various businesses such as aircraft maintenance, repair and overhaul, catering, ground handling and water.