Tony Chua
Encyclopedia
Antonio "Tony" Chua was a Filipino Chinese businessman. His family owns Photokina Marketing Corporation, which distributed Red Bull
in the Philippines; he managed and was the governor of the Barako Bull Energy Boosters, the company's team in the Philippine Basketball Association
(PBA) in which he previously served as chairman. Chua also served as vice president of Philippine Football Federation
(PFF); he previously played high school varsity football for Colegio de San Juan de Letran
.
Chua died at the height of Tropical Storm Ketsana
(local name: Ondoy).
football team and was known as "Mr. Football." Chua coached the Philippine women's national football team, and later served as vice president of the PFF.
(PBL), and he was tasked to manage the team. Then PBL commissioner Yeng Guiao
allowed the team to compete, and the team won several championships.
When the Photokina franchise entered the professional Philippine Basketball Association
(PBA) as Batang Red Bull, Chua appointed Guiao as the coach of the team. Guiao led the Red Bull team to three championships: the 2001 and 2002 Commissioner's Cups, and the 2006 Fiesta Conference.
After Noli Eala
resigned as PBA commissioner, Chua as chairman of the board of governors ran the daily affairs of the league while a replacement was being found. When Sonny Barrios
was appointed as interim commissioner, Chua personally welcomed Barrios on his first day on the job.
After the 2008–09 Philippine Cup
, Guiao resigned and the team was renamed as the Barako Bull Energy Boosters. Guiao was later signed as head coach of the Burger King Whoppers but the two remained close.
Among his projects in the PBA is the PBA Hall of Fame
; he was one of the selectors for the third batch which were announced in 2009.
, traffic was not moving and he and his driver and Barako Bull liaison officer aides alighted their car. The three trekked the flooded road when a strong current engulfed them, sucking away the driver; Chua can only look at his aide as his body faded out of sight. The two decided to stop and hold on to a tree when a truck carrying lumber passed by, the lumber that jutted out of the truck hit Chua in the face. The details right after he was hit by the lumber weren't clear; he could have died because of hypothermia
or from internal hemorrhage, for he was bleeding from the ears. His liaison officer caught up with him and tried to revive him, but he died on the way. The driver's body was fished out of the waters two days after the storm.
Marion Soriano (Texas Instruments, Baguio City)
Red Bull
Red Bull is an energy drink sold by the Austrian Red Bull GmbH, created in 1987 by the Austrian entrepreneur Dietrich Mateschitz. In terms of market share, Red Bull is the most popular energy drink in the world, with 3 billion cans sold each year. Dietrich Mateschitz was inspired by an already...
in the Philippines; he managed and was the governor of the Barako Bull Energy Boosters, the company's team in the Philippine Basketball Association
Philippine Basketball Association
The Philippine Basketball Association , is a men's professional basketball league in the Philippines composed of 10 company-branded franchised teams. It is the first and oldest professional basketball league in Asia and the second oldest in the world after the NBA...
(PBA) in which he previously served as chairman. Chua also served as vice president of Philippine Football Federation
Philippine Football Federation
The Philippine Football Federation is the governing body of football in the Philippines. It was founded in 1907 as the Philippine Amateur Football Association . They were one of the 12 Asian associations that founded the Asian Football Confederation...
(PFF); he previously played high school varsity football for Colegio de San Juan de Letran
Colegio de San Juan de Letran
The Colegio de San Juan de Letran, Letran College, or simply Letran is a private Roman Catholic institution of learning located in Intramuros, Manila, in the Philippines. The college was founded in 1620. Colegio de San Juan de Letran has the distinction of being the oldest college in the...
.
Chua died at the height of Tropical Storm Ketsana
Typhoon Ketsana (2009)
Typhoon Ketsana was the most devastating typhoon in the 2009 Pacific typhoon season with a damage of $1.09 billion and 747 fatalities. The storm was the twenty-seventh tropical storm, eighth typhoon and the second major typhoon in the season...
(local name: Ondoy).
Early life and career
Chua studied in Colegio de San Juan de Letran up to college, graduating in 1975. He played for the Letran SquiresLetran Knights
Letran Knights is the name of the varsity basketball team of the Colegio de San Juan de Letran. Letran College is a Roman Catholic institution and the oldest college in the Philippines....
football team and was known as "Mr. Football." Chua coached the Philippine women's national football team, and later served as vice president of the PFF.
Basketball manager
Chua's company Photokina Marketing Corporation fielded the Red Bull to the semiprofessional Philippine Basketball LeaguePhilippine Basketball League
The Philippine Basketball League is a commercial semi-professional basketball league in the Philippines. The league is composed of several commercial teams with several collegiate and provincial stars.-History:...
(PBL), and he was tasked to manage the team. Then PBL commissioner Yeng Guiao
Yeng Guiao
Joseller "Yeng" Guiao is a Filipino professional basketball head coach for the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters in the Philippine Basketball Association, and was also the head coach of the Philippine National Basketball Team. Guiao won four PBA titles since starting his head coaching job for Swift in...
allowed the team to compete, and the team won several championships.
When the Photokina franchise entered the professional Philippine Basketball Association
Philippine Basketball Association
The Philippine Basketball Association , is a men's professional basketball league in the Philippines composed of 10 company-branded franchised teams. It is the first and oldest professional basketball league in Asia and the second oldest in the world after the NBA...
(PBA) as Batang Red Bull, Chua appointed Guiao as the coach of the team. Guiao led the Red Bull team to three championships: the 2001 and 2002 Commissioner's Cups, and the 2006 Fiesta Conference.
After Noli Eala
Noli Eala
Jose Emmanuel M. Eala, better known as Noli Eala, was the sixth commissioner of the Philippine Basketball Association from 2003 to 2007. Before he became the commissioner of the league, he was a play-by-play commentator of Viva-Vintage Sports, which broadcasts the PBA Games, from the early 1990s...
resigned as PBA commissioner, Chua as chairman of the board of governors ran the daily affairs of the league while a replacement was being found. When Sonny Barrios
Sonny Barrios
Renauld N. Barrios, better known as Sonny Barrios, is the seventh commissioner of the Philippine Basketball Association. Before serving as the commissioner, he became the officer in charge of the league on August 2007 when his predecessor Noli Eala resigned from his office after being disbarred by...
was appointed as interim commissioner, Chua personally welcomed Barrios on his first day on the job.
After the 2008–09 Philippine Cup
2008–09 PBA Philippine Cup
The 2008-09 Philippine Basketball Association Philippine Cup or known as the 2008-09 KFC PBA Philippine Cup for sponsorship reasons, is the first conference of the 2008-09 PBA season. The tournament started on October 4, 2008 and ended on February 11, 2009. The new conference will have games on...
, Guiao resigned and the team was renamed as the Barako Bull Energy Boosters. Guiao was later signed as head coach of the Burger King Whoppers but the two remained close.
Among his projects in the PBA is the PBA Hall of Fame
PBA Hall of Fame
The Philippine Basketball Association Hall of Fame is an institution that honors selected former players and personalities of the Philippine Basketball Association. It was launched in 2005 during the Reunion Game pitting two teams consisting of the PBA's 25th Anniversary All-Time Team...
; he was one of the selectors for the third batch which were announced in 2009.
Death
At the height of Tropical Storm Ketsana (Ondoy)Typhoon Ketsana (2009)
Typhoon Ketsana was the most devastating typhoon in the 2009 Pacific typhoon season with a damage of $1.09 billion and 747 fatalities. The storm was the twenty-seventh tropical storm, eighth typhoon and the second major typhoon in the season...
, traffic was not moving and he and his driver and Barako Bull liaison officer aides alighted their car. The three trekked the flooded road when a strong current engulfed them, sucking away the driver; Chua can only look at his aide as his body faded out of sight. The two decided to stop and hold on to a tree when a truck carrying lumber passed by, the lumber that jutted out of the truck hit Chua in the face. The details right after he was hit by the lumber weren't clear; he could have died because of hypothermia
Hypothermia
Hypothermia is a condition in which core temperature drops below the required temperature for normal metabolism and body functions which is defined as . Body temperature is usually maintained near a constant level of through biologic homeostasis or thermoregulation...
or from internal hemorrhage, for he was bleeding from the ears. His liaison officer caught up with him and tried to revive him, but he died on the way. The driver's body was fished out of the waters two days after the storm.
Reaction
Sports officials were saddened by Chua's demise. Guiao was "deeply shocked" and remarked that Chua was "well liked by everyone in the basketball community". Guiao's successor as commissioner in the PBL Chino Trinidad said described Chua as "a funny guy" but "passionate in the game". PBA commissioner Barrios, who announced Chua's death to the press, was personally affected by Chua's death, saying that we always "worked well" with him.Marion Soriano (Texas Instruments, Baguio City)