MANILA, Philippines — A tech store in Agusan del Sur paid tribute to late Ateneo student-athlete Rene “Bobet” Baterbonia, recalling his visit to the shop after he was named Most Valuable Player of the Palarong Pambansa 2025.
RICKZ Laptops and Gadgets on Monday, June 29, shared photos of the 18-year-old during his visit to the store with his family.
At the time, Rene was making waves after being the Palarong Pambansa MVP for leading the Davao Region to its first-ever Palaro basketball championship.
The student-athlete was honored with a laptop by the shop in recognition of his achievement as a “pride of Agusan del Sur.”
“Pinangaralan namin si Bobet ng Ryzen 5 Lenovo laptop as a token dahil sobrang proud kami sa kanya. Mula noon, inaabangan na namin ang mga laro niya. Kaso lang hanggang dito na lang pala ang lahat,” the tech store wrote, adding a crying emoji.
“Pero gayunpaman, happy kami na nakilala namin si Bobet. Naging inspirasyon siya naming lahat. Pinatunayan niya na hindi hadlang ang kahirapan para makamit ang tagumpay sa buhay. Rest in God’s hands po, idol MVP. You will forever be in our hearts,” it added.
The post has garnered 156,000 reactions, 1,600 shares and over 1,600 comments on Facebook.
The tech store describes itself as a distributor of “high quality and affordable laptops, gadgets, PC (Personal Computer), iPhones, iPads, tablets, computer parts, accessories, and other ICT (Information and Communication Technology) equipment.”
Baterbonia was among the newest recruits of the Ateneo Blue Eagles, which held a team-building activity in Dipaculao, Aurora, on June 8.
He died after drowning during a water exercise after the group reportedly encountered strong waves and currents.
Fellow teammate Divine Adili, a 21-year-old Nigerian import, also died in the incident.
Authorities said the team-building was intended to help determine which players would make it to the final University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) roster.
Tab Baldwin, head of the Ateneo Blue Eagles, has since resigned following the incident.
