For Tony Tan, accepting the head coaching job at San Sebastian College-Recoletos was never about prestige, money, or adding another title to his résumé.
It was about fulfilling a lifelong dream he had since being a young dreamer in Davao.
Instead, six months later, the dream became a painful experience.
Now back in Canada and continuing his recovery after a health scare that saw him lose more than 40 pounds, the 57-year-old coach says he is finally beginning to feel like himself again.
“I’m feeling better now. My health is getting better, and I’m feeling really well,” he told Tiebreaker Times.
But while his health has improved, the questions surrounding his abrupt exit from San Sebastian remain unanswered.
A DREAM WORTH CHASING
(C) San Sebastian
When San Sebastian introduced Tan as the new head coach of the Golden Stags on January 10, 2026, it appeared the school had found the man to rebuild one of the NCAA’s most storied basketball programs.
An entrepreneur in Canada and founder of United Prep Canada, a developmental camp based in Alberta, Tan had already built a comfortable life overseas.
Coaching in the Philippines wasn’t a necessity for him — it was a calling.
“Becoming a college head coach in the Philippines was always one of my dreams. I didn’t need to leave my business in Canada to do this, but I believed basketball could change young people’s lives,” he said.
“If I could help young athletes realize their dreams the same way I’ve helped kids in Canada, then I felt this was something I had to do.”
The introductory press conference showed the optimism surrounding the program.
Present were then-college president Fr. Rafael Pecson, OAR, along with sponsors and partners Tan had convinced to support the Golden Stags, including ES Print, Epson, and Fitness Exclusive.
For many NCAA programs, financial backing has become almost as important as coaching credentials.
Tan quickly learned that reality.
LEARNING A DIFFERENT SYSTEM
Finding sponsors was something completely foreign to him.
In Canada, coaches coach. In Philippine college basketball, particularly among mid-major programs, head coaches are often expected to help sustain the program financially.
Tan accepted the responsibility.
“That was something completely new to me because in Canada, coaches aren’t expected to look for boosters. But I knew people who believed in me and believed in helping young athletes, so I reached out to them because I wanted San Sebastian to succeed,” he shared.
His willingness to help came against the backdrop of San Sebastian’s previous struggles.
The school had experienced sponsorship issues the previous season, culminating in the departure of then-head coach and one of the brightest young minds in basketball today Rob Labagala after NCAA Season 101.
Tan believed he could help stabilize the program.
FRIENDSHIPS BROKEN
(C) SLA
Standing beside Tan during his introduction were Sinag Liga Asia co-founders Rocky Chan and Ray Alao, longtime acquaintances from his United Prep Canada days. Chan was supposed to be the program’s consultant while Alao was in charge of team operations.
Ray’s son, Airness, had also initially been lined up to coach the Staglets.
The plan never materialized, with the post going to Richie Melencio.
According to Tan, the school informed him that Airness was too young to assume the position.
Delivering that message became one of the hardest conversations he has ever had.
“I had the unfortunate responsibility of telling Ray what the school had decided. As a father of three myself, it broke my heart because I understood how much that opportunity meant,” lamented Tan.
“After that, I kept reaching out to them, but I never got a reply.”
Alao and Chan never returned to San Sebastian after the press conference.
Instead, Tan’s coaching staff was composed of Rodney Santos, EJ Feihl, and John Ferriols—former PBA players with whom he had never previously worked.
WAITING FOR A CONTRACT
(C) San Sebastian
Although Tan was formally introduced as head coach, one important document never arrived.
Because the school’s previous contract remained active until March 15, the two sides signed only a memorandum of agreement during the January ceremony.
Tan says he repeatedly asked when his official coaching contract would be ready.
“I kept asking the school about my contract because I wanted everything to be official. Every time I followed up, I never really got an answer.”
Still, he pressed on.
He supervised practices, prepared for preseason activities such as tournaments, coordinated tune-up games, and continued recruiting sponsors.
According to Tan, the memorandum also required him to provide financial support not only for the Golden Stags but also for the Staglets—a commitment that reached seven figures.
Even those closest to him questioned the arrangement.
“My wife kept asking me why I was taking a college coaching job where I wasn’t earning anything and was actually spending my own money. My kids even told me I should have accepted a coaching opportunity in Mexico instead,” he said.
“But I believed that if this was what it took to become a coach in the Philippines, then I was willing to accept it.”
Even without a formal contract, Tan says he personally covered the salaries of assistant coaches, for the players, and other necessary expenses during the preseason.
DRAWING THE LINE
As weeks passed, the promised contract still never came.
Tan’s management team continued finding sponsors and supporters for the school.
Among them were a contractor who helped improve campus facilities, Fitness Exclusive, which committed to rehabilitating athletic facilities, and ES Print, which planned to produce merchandise whose proceeds would benefit San Sebastian’s athletic programs.
Yet despite being asked to provide funding for the basketball program, Tan said he declined to release the funds without a signed contract.
“It wasn’t that I didn’t have the money. I believed everything had to be in black and white. If I were going to invest that much into the program, there had to be a proper contract protecting everyone involved.”
There were even multiple occasions when the basketball team’s transportation became an issue.
Tan says he personally arranged a rented shuttle to ensure the players could continue attending practices and games.
HEALTH BEFORE BASKETBALL
(C) Tony Tan
Midway through the Filoil EcoOil Preseason Cup, Tan suddenly disappeared from the Golden Stags’ bench.
Contrary to speculation, he insists he requested a medical leave that the school approved.
Assistant coach Rodney Santos took over the team and eventually was appointed head coach in early July.
The announcement came as a shock.
“I had various communications with San Sebastian because I wanted to know what happened. The vice president communicated via email, as well as formally in a letter, that Rodney was only in place while I was on medical leave,” he said.
“Our correspondence ended when there were questions he no longer had answers to. Eventually, I was referred to the school’s lawyers.”
The emotional toll became severe.
Before accepting the San Sebastian job, Tan weighed 198 pounds.
Tan shared that his health started to seriously decline. Tan said he believes the stress surrounding the situation contributed to his losing more than 40 pounds.
Doctors even restricted his access to technology during his recovery.
“My doctors actually told me to stay away from my phone until I had fully recovered. They wanted me to focus on getting healthy because the stress had already taken too much out of me.”
SEEKING ANSWERS
(C) NSAC
Tan says he will soon return to the Philippines – not to seek reinstatement and not to coach but to seek answers.
He also wants to defend his reputation.
“I will not stay silent. There were things said about me that simply weren’t true, and I owe it to myself and to the people who know me to clear my name,” he said.
“I also don’t want what happened to me—and what happened to Coach Rob—to happen to the next head coach. Imagine having five coaches in four years. At some point, you have to ask if the problem isn’t bigger than the coaches.”
Despite everything that happened, Tan says he has very few regrets about accepting the San Sebastian job.
While he admits he never imagined the experience would end the way it did, he says the opportunity to mentor the players remains something he will always treasure.
“I have very little regrets. Getting to know the young men, teaching them every day, and even just sitting down to eat with them are memories I’ll always cherish. Of course, I believe I was misled, and I never thought I would encounter such events. Those were things I never expected,” he expressed.
“But they won’t take away the relationships I built with the team and with the people who stood by me. Those friendships mean more to me than everything that happened.”
Today, Tan says his health is steadily improving. His business in Canada remains stable, and his passion for developing young basketball players has never wavered.
As for what comes next, he isn’t revealing his plans just yet.
“What’s next? Let’s just say people will be surprised.”
Tiebreaker Times sent detailed questions to San Sebastian College-Recoletos, Fr. Rafael Pecson, and Rodney Santos. Santos declined to comment but said that he and the players are excited for the new season.
