Rene 'Bobet' Baterbonia: A life full of promise cut short

Before the name of the late Rene “Bobet” Baterbonia entered the consciousness of the nation, he was first a son, brother, and a standout amateur basketball player whose dreams were closely tied to his family in Agusan del Sur.

The drowning death of Bobet and his Ateneo basketball teammate Divine Adili during a so-called team building activity in a beach in Aurora province sparked outrage and calls for justice.

In an interview with Toni Gonzaga on her YouTube show "Toni Talks," Bobet’s mother, Rovelyn Baterbonia, opened up about the son she knew at home, describing him as someone she could turn to whenever she was facing a problem.

“Siya iyong mas makuhaan mo ng answer po na ‘pag may problema ako, magkakaroon ako ng sagot ‘pag nagsabi ako sa kanya.”

Rovelyn is a mother of seven, with Bobet as her second child. She explained that his jersey number, 2, also reflected his being second among his siblings. But to Rovelyn, Bobet was never just one of her children.

“Parang hindi lang anak, parang kaibigan ninyo na rin.”

Bobet was just as thoughtful toward his siblings. While other young athletes might have been tempted to spend their earnings on new shoes or clothes, he often had other priorities. Whatever he earned from basketball, he wanted to share with his family.

“Sinasabi niya, ‘papadalhan kita ma, ito para sa kapatid ko ma. Bigay mo sa kanila, bilhan mo sa Jollibee, ganyan. Tapos ito ma, para sa’yo ma,’” Rovelyn recalled.

Even the money he received as an incentive from the Palarong Pambansa already had a purpose.

“Ma, ipapadala ko po itong pera sa iyo, 13,000 iyon, para ipapaayos mo doon sa bahay natin.”

Basketball had been part of Bobet’s life since childhood. He would accompany his father, who had also been a basketball player, to different places in Agusan del Sur.

Over time, the child who tagged along with his father to games began making a name for himself on the court. According to Rovelyn, Bobet eventually became one of the best players in their area, earning MVP honors in competitions such as the Inter-Barangay and Governor’s Cup.

“Sa aming lugar, sa Agusan del Sur, talagang top 1 iyong anak ko doon.”

But the awards were only part of Bobet’s basketball story. For him, the sport represented a possible way to give his family a better life.

His mother recalled that their dream was never simply to become wealthy. After years of working different jobs to provide for seven children, what she wanted most was a life where the family would no longer have to worry about their everyday needs.

Bobet’s talent eventually gave that hope a more concrete path. His skills on the court opened opportunities beyond his hometown, with several schools in Manila expressing interest in recruiting him, including Ateneo, San Beda, La Salle, San Sebastian, and UP, according to his mother.

There were multiple offers on the table, but Bobet and his mother also had to consider what would happen to his siblings. Ultimately, he chose Ateneo, partly because the scholarship would also benefit one of his siblings.

“Kaya sabi niya, ‘okay din ma, doon na lang ako para sa kapatid ko.’ Kaya ayun, nandun kami sa Ateneo,” Rovelyn shared.

For a family that had worked hard to provide for seven children, Bobet’s success represented more than personal achievement. His basketball career had begun to open doors, and with it came the possibility of giving his family the life they had worked toward for years. And perhaps that is what makes his story particularly painful.

Bobet was not only a young man who died too soon. He was someone whose life was still unfolding, whose plans were still taking shape, and whose biggest dreams had yet to be tested.

“Baka isang araw, isa na akong sikat na basketbolista, ma. Kailangan ko po iyon ipakita sa lahat na kung ano iyong puno daw ng papa niya, siya ang magtatapos po,” Rovelyn recalled her son saying.