Ateneo de Davao University, the alma mater of basketball player Rene Baterbonia in high school, will provide scholarships to Baterbonia’s siblings.
University President, Fr. Karel San Juan, SJ, made the announcement on the second day of Baterbonia’s wake at the AdDU senior high school campus.
Scholarships will be provided to from basic education to college.
“Gusto ko pong i-announce na bunga ng aking kuwentuhan kay mama at papa (Rene’s parents) ngayong hapon na isa po sa mga pangarap ni Bobet ay matutupad — ‘yung pangarap na nagdala sa kaniya sa Maynila at iwan ang kaniyang pamilya rito sa Davao, ang pangarap niya na ang kaniyang mga kapatid, anim na kapatid, ay bibigyan po ng Ateneo de Davao University ng scholarship,” San Juan said after a Mass.
“Handa rin po ang ibang Ateneo [schools] tulad ng Xavier University sa Cagayan de Oro pero sabi ni mama, dito na lang po sa Davao, mas malapit sa Agusan. Kahit saan po nila gusto pumunta,” he added.
“Ituloy po natin ang pagdarasal sa pamilya ni Bobet para ang pangarap niya para sa kaniyang pamilya ay matupad. Kahit na po sobrang lungkot natin na wala na po siya, pero bubuhayin natin si Bobet sa pamamagitan ng pangarap niya sa kaniyang mga minamahal sa buhay,” the President said.
The 6-foot-4 Baterbonia was a standout of the Ateneo de Davao University basketball program and made waves in the Palarong Pambansa where he won Most Valuable Player and steered the Davao Eagles to a championship in 2025.
In May 2026, Baterbonia capped his Palaro journey with a silver finish next to eventual champions Region IV-A in the secondary boys’ basketball tournament in the 2026 Palarong Pambansa held in Agusan del Sur.
A native of Talacogon, Agusan del Sur, Baterbonia has long been considered a pride of Davao City having represented the city in basketball.
Ateneo de Manila University was his dream school. He moved into campus on June 4, just four days before the tragic incident on June 8, 2026.
He and fellow student-athlete Divine Adili drowned while at a team-building activity in Dipaculao, Aurora. Read story: https://www.gmanetwork.com/regionaltv/sports/114373/ateneos-rene-baterbonia-divine-adili-die-in-drowning-incident-what-we-know-so-far/story/
Baterbonia’s remains were flown to Mindanao after a short stay at the Arlington Memorial Chapels and Crematory in Quezon City where his teammates and other members of the Ateneo community paid their last respects.
His remains arrived at the Davao International Airport via a private plane shortly before 3 a.m. on Friday, June 12, 2026.
Friends and supporters paid their last respects at the Ateneo de Davao campus. Read story: https://www.gmanetwork.com/regionaltv/sports/114413/supporters-friends-honor-baterbonia-in-davao-city/story/
