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“HOMETOWN HERO. Idolo ng mga kabataan (The youth’s idol). One of one.”
These were the words that Ateneo de Davao University (ADDU) coach Jess Evangelio used to describe Rene Clert Baterbonia. Yet, on the ordinary days he spent with his loved ones, the basketball talent was simply known as “Bobet.”
Born on May 8, 2008, Rene was the son of Rene Sr. and Rovelyn Baterbonia from Agusan del Sur. He began learning basketball from his father, eventually growing up to be named the Most Valuable Player in the 2025 Palarong Pambansa.
After he led the Davao Region’s secondary boys’ Basketball Team to a silver finish in the 2026 Palarong Pambansa, he made headlines by committing to the Ateneo de Manila University for his collegiate career. However, as he was primed to become a pivotal player in college basketball, Rene’s promising future was tragically cut short by his passing on June 8, 2026.
“[Si Rene ay isang] batang […] laking sa hirap na nangarap lang, […] hindi lang para sa kanya, kundi para sa amin (Rene was a boy raised in hardship and simply dreamed, not only for himself, but for us, as well),” shared Rene’s mother Rovelyn during his wake.
Rene saw basketball as his means to carve out a better life for his family. Raised in a Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) beneficiary household, he refined his raw talent with hours of single-minded practice to prove himself as a scholar-athlete. When he entered high school, he secured scholarships for both himself and his younger brother Rhenz at ADDU, relieving his parents of some of the financial burden that came with supporting a family of nine.
In 2025, the same year Rene led Davao Region to a championship in Palarong Pambansa, the Baterbonia family graduated from the 4Ps program—after building their livelihoods from the ground up, they were no longer declared poor.
Rene’s career in Ateneo would not only have been his breakthrough into the university league, it also would have represented greater support for his family. As he left for Manila, he reassured his mother that he would provide for their household, now that he was in university.
Rene’s passing came as his promises were just starting to materialize. In our grief, we insist that this boy, so full of life, could not possibly be done with his journey yet. We wish for more from Rene: more years experienced, more games played, and more dreams realized.
“More” in Latin translates to magis—a word that eventually makes itself familiar to every Atenean. In Ignatian philosophy, it refers to doing more for the pursuit of excellence, and is commonly misconstrued to equate to career highlights or gleaming medals. In reality, “magis is ultimately a question of love and the heart,” clarified Fr. Bienvenido Nebres, SJ, the former University president during 1993–2001. “[It is] to continue to care and to love even when there is pain.”
Indeed, Rene amassed a great number of accolades at an early age. However, these titles cannot fully describe the boundless, unrelenting love that overflowed from his 18 years. Rene’s character—grounded in humility, driven by compassion, and moulded by grit—is what makes his achievements all the more meaningful.
This is magis: excellence through love.
In a heartfelt tribute, Evangelio emphasized Rene’s heart above any championship win.
“Hindi ka lang isang student-athlete. Isa kang tunay na mabuting tao. At hindi ako magsasawang ikuwento sa buong mundo […] kung paano mo pinasaya at binigyang-inspirasyon ang napakaraming tao. [Namuhay ka] na puno ng kabutihan, respeto, at pagmamalasakit sa iba.”
(You aren’t just a student-athlete. You are a genuinely good person. I will never grow tired of telling the whole world how much joy and inspiration you brought to so many people. You lived a life full of kindness, respect, and compassion for others.)
As the nation mourns for Rene, we grieve the boy who shot his first basketball through a makeshift hoop on the streets of Talacogon. We weep for the kuya who trained himself to the bone for his family to rise from poverty. Most of all, we celebrate the dreamer, whose sky-high ambitions remained grounded in the unwavering love he bore for his community.
Long before Rene arrived at the University, he already lived the life Ateneans aspire—an embodiment of magis; a man for others. As we begin a new school year, we remember Rene among the freshmen we are welcoming onto campus, and we hold space for him in every Atenean who dares to dream with a bold, brimming heart.
