Tan daughter calls for unity amid brother’s untimely death

MANILA, Philippines — Vivienne Tan, the daughter of taipan Lucio Tan with wife Carmen, called for unity  – following the unexpected and sudden death of her brother Lucio “Bong” Tan Jr. – in what she described as their “peculiar family situation.”

Bong died of brain aneurysm on Monday, Nov. 11 at the Cardinal Santos Medical Center where he was rushed on Saturday, Nov. 9 after he collapsed in a basketball game in Mandaluyong. 

During Bong’s wake at the Heritage Park on Wednesday night, Vivienne said in her eulogy that  it was Bong’s wish to unite their father’s families. 

Vivienne shared that Bong, who had a kind heart and was not a vindictive person, wished nothing more but to fix things among the families.

She shared that since his college days, Bong wanted to make things better for all of them, the whole Tan family.

“Since college, Bong wanted that everything be ‘maayos’ despite our peculiar family situation. Very few of you know that my brother goes to Baclaran every week to pray. I know having peace and harmony for our families were in his prayers,” Vivienne said.

She said that at the time of Bong’s passing he was at his peak working on uniting the families. 

“He passed away at his peak, working on making things ‘maayos’ within our families.  His ways might not always have   been perfect, but his intentions were always pure,” she said.

Vivienne said she hopes Bong’s death would not be in vain and that the families would indeed be united. 

“I now pray and ask that may his death not be in vain. His most fervent wish was for peace and harmony for all of us family members. As rumors go around these days about how things will be divided, my appeal to all sides who believe in our father’s legacy is for us to see and do things differently. This is not a time to start planning on whose side you will be, but on helping our families unite once and for all,” Vivienne said. 

“Bong dreamed of stitching all of us families together in one united, peaceful whole,” she added.

Vivienne said she also believes in that dream.

“I strongly believe his dream of peace and harmony is a good dream for all of us to share. Let’s not let his dream die with him. Together, let’s honor him by taking his dream and turning it into a reality...Ahia, I know you are watching all of us and I promise you that we will not give up in continuing your efforts,” said Vivienne

Lucio Tan Sr., 85 is the lone surviving ethnic Chinese billionaire who migrated to the Philippines from Fujian, China before World War II.

His success is legendary, building an multibillion dollar empire from scratch. 

Forbes listed him as the country’s sixth richest man in the country with a net worth of $3.2 billion. 

His empire spans different businesses - from tobacco to airlines, beer to banking, energy drinks to Greek-style yoghurt and hotels and skyscrapers. 

Tan started as a chemical engineer at Far East University, where, according to Forbes, he mopped floors to put himself through college.

He has at least 21 children from different mothers.

Tan is still strong at 85 and walks unaided. He is still mainly the chairman and CEO of his different companies and has not passed on the reins of his empire to any of his children. 

However, some of them are helping their father, playing key roles in the different companies

Son Michael is the president and COO of the listed holding company LT Group Inc., while Vivienne is steering Philippine Airlines Inc., the flag carrier where Bong also played key roles. 

At the time of his death, Bong was president of Pal Holdings Inc., the holding company of PAL. He was also president of Tanduay and Eton. 

Son-in-law Joseph Chua is president of MacroAsia.