Rene Baterbonia, who dreamed of becoming a professional player, needed no extra motivation as he saw basketball as a way to give his family a better life
This is AI generated summarization, which may have errors. For context, always refer to the full article. Rene Baterbonia, who dreamed of becoming a professional player, needed no extra motivation as he saw basketball as a way to give his family a better lifein the 2025 Palarong Pambansa, he shared that he simply relied on his own efforts.
Baterbonia, the son of fish vendors and the second oldest of seven siblings, didn’t need any more motivation as he saw basketball as a way to give his family a better life. The pride of Talocogon, Agusan del Sur, who was fondly called “Bobet” by his friends and family, was a , a beneficiary of the government program that helps the country’s poorest households.
Baterbonia had a clear goal, so he endured being away from home when he got recruited by Ateneo de Davao University to play for its high school team — a stint that ultimately led him to Ateneo de Manila University.
“Ever since, Ateneo de Manila was his dream school. Even though he received a lot of offers, it was his decision to move to Ateneo de Manila,” said Jess Evangelio, Baterbonia’s coach at Ateneo de Davao. The 18-year-old, however, never got to suit up for the Blue Eagles.
On the tragic afternoon of June 8, he and Nigerian teammate Divine Adili died fromBaterbonia’s death came so sudden, coming just a few days after his high school coach dropped him off at the Ateneo de Manila campus in Katipunan, Quezon City, on June 4.
“He was a boy from a poor background who simply dreamed. He dreamed not only for himself but for us as well. All of that is now gone,” Baterbonia’s mother Rovelyn said through tears during her son’s wake. The tragedy cut short a promising career that ended even before it fully took off.
Baterbonia began playing basketball at the age of 15 as he took up the sport only during the pandemic, yet the game came naturally to him. It did not take long for Baterbonia, a 6-foot-4 forward who punished the rim with his signature two-handed dunks, to dominate an inter-municipality meet in Agusan del Sur, that eventually saw schools all over Mindanao lining up to recruit him.
Baterbonia attended the Ananda Marga Special Academic Institution in Davao City before he joined Ateneo de Davao, choosing to play for the Blue Knights as his commitment also guaranteed a scholarship for his younger brother Rhenz. At 17, Baterbonia burst onto the national scene as he powered Davao Region to a championship in the 2025 Palarong Pambansa in Ilocos Norte, earning him the tournament Most Valuable Player honors following a 19-point performance in a 67-51 victory over Western Visayas in the finale.
Baterbonia also brought honor to the Philippines as the basketball team represented mostly by players from Ateneo de Davao captured the gold medal in the 2025 ASEAN School Games in Brunei. He finished with 21 points in a narrow 90-86 win over Malaysia in the championship game. His other accolades include an All-Star selection and a Best Defensive Player award in the 2026 National Basketball Training Center League, a tournament that features the best high school players in the country.
Baterbonia, already gifted with height, talent, and natural grit, still always made sure to put in the work.
“Just keep working hard. Always make it your goal to be champions,” said Baterbonia, when asked what his message was to aspiring basketball players.
“Don’t slack off. Keep practicing if you want to be champions. Championships are earned, not given. ” And Baterbonia believed his persistence would carry him to the PBA, and perhaps, even beyond that.
“Of course, I want to become a professional basketball player. That’s every basketball player’s dream,” Baterbonia said. But more than a player who will never get a chance to fulfill his potential, what lingers is that a son and a brother will no longer be able to live out the dreams he nurtured for his family.
“He told me, ‘If I make to the UAAP, I’ll give you a UAAP MVP award,’” Rovelyn recalled her son saying. “Or if he reached the PBA, he said he’d give me a PBA MVP award. That was his dream — to make a name for himself, which was something his father never got to do. ” “His father was also a basketball player, but life was difficult… So said, ‘I’ll make it happen.
I’ll be the one to make a big name for our family,’” Rovelyn said.
“That’s why when I learned that he was gone, I couldn’t accept it. Why? ” It was not just Baterbonia’s family and friends whose lives he touched, as droves of people — many of whom may not have known him personally — came to pay their respects at his public viewing held inside the Ateneo de Davao Senior High School in Davao City.
Baterbonia, after all, represented the good in people — someone who came from humble beginnings, complemented his talent with tireless effort, and fought for a dream bigger than himself. It’s the reason Baterbonia’s tragic death cuts so deep for everyone close to him like Evangelio: “He wasn’t just good at basketball, he was also a good person. ”
Please follow us on Google to support us Philippines Latest News, Philippines Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Rene Baterbonia's remains to be flown to Davao aboard private planeA private plane carrying the remains of the late Ateneo student-athlete Rene Baterbonia is expected to depart from Manila for Davao anytime soon.
Read more »
Ateneo Student-Athlete Rene Baterbonia's Remains Arrive in Davao for WakeThe body of Ateneo de Davao University basketball player Rene Baterbonia was flown to Davao City early Friday and taken to a funeral home before being moved to the university's senior high school for a public viewing. A wake will be held Friday afternoon, followed by nightly Masses through Sunday, and the remains will later be transported to his hometown in Agusan del Sur.
Read more »
Ateneo de Davao alumnus Rene Clert Baterbonia returns home for wake after tragic drowningRene Clert Baterbonia, a 19-year-old Ateneo de Davao University alumnus and recent recruit to the Ateneo Blue Eagles, died from drowning during an off-campus training in Aurora. His remains arrived at his alma mater in Davao City for a public viewing and masses scheduled from June 12 to 14.
Read more »
The Exceptional Poor and Selective Empathy: Reflecting on the Tragedy of Rene BaterboniaDAVAO CITY (MindaNews /12 June 2026) – The death of a student is a quiet horror every educator dreads. In the medical school where I teach, our institutional
Read more »