Lucio Tan vows to help sports, national athletes

MANILA, Philippines — Sportsman Lucio Tan Jr., owner and CEO of Tanduay Distillers, expressed alarm on the state of the country’s environment, and reiterated his support to Philippine sports in a meeting with the media yesterday.

“Let us all be aware of the problem we are facing. We are all in this together,” said the 52-year-old CEO, who is taking big steps addressing the problems in Boracay and other parts of the country.

He also talked about his love for sports – from basketball, both as a player and team owner, to beach volleyball, which he fully supports.

Tan vowed to continue to support Philippine sports, and is quite aware of the leadership change in the Philippine Olympic Committee (POC), saying he’d been approached for help by sports officials.

The US-educated businessman is willing to throw in financial support to the national athletes in their long search for the country’s first Oympic gold.

New POC president Ricky Vargas has called on the private sector to provide the support which the national government can’t provide by itself.

“We’ve been approached,” said Tan.

“As long as all the funds wil go to the athletes, then we will help. I’ve heard a lot of misuse of funds and troubles in sports. But as long as they use the funds the right way, then one-hundred percent I will help,” he added.

“We start with events where we can excel. It’s the three Bs of basketball, boxing and billiards or four Bs if you include bowling.

And from there we go to the others,” he said.

“I was told that the Philippines was the strongest in Asia in the sixties but after all the politics we’re now the last. We should not mix politics with sports. Once you mix them then you get nothing,” he said.

Gerry Tan Tee, COO of Absolut, Tanduay Distillers, acted as Tan’s spokesman, and said in every tournament Tanduay enters, “the intention is to become champion.”