(Homily delivered by Fr. Eric Anthony S. Escandor, ADDU Senior High School Chaplain, during the mass Saturday evening, 13 June 2026 at the Christ the King Chapel, Ateneo de Davao University Senior High School, for Rene Clert ‘Bobet’ N. Baterbonia)

“Mens sana in corpore sano.” A sound mind in a sound body. 

This ancient maxim has long been part of the Jesuit, Ateneo educational tradition. Nagatuo kita nga ang tinuod nga edukasyon dili lamang mahitungod sa paghulma sa hunahuna, kondili usab sa paghulma sa lawas, paghulma sa kasingkasing, ug paghulma sa espiritu. Mao nga ang sports sa usa ka Jesuit ug Ateneo school dili lamang mahitungod sa pagdaog og kampyonato o pagtigom og mga tropeyo. 

It is always about becoming the best version of oneself. Ang sports mahitungod sa pagkahimong labing maayong bersyon sa kaugalingon — pagkat-on sa disiplina, maayong kinaiya, pagtinabangay, pagkamapaubsanon, ug pag-alagad sa uban. Ang sports program sa usa ka Jesuit, Ateneo school gimugna arun paghulma sa tibuok pagkatawo.

Ug karong gabhiona, samtang nagtigom kita dinhi alang kang Bobet, nibalik sa akong huna-huna ang kini nga panultihon: mens sana in corpore sano, sound mind in a sound body. Nahinumduman nako tungod kay si Bobet nagpuyo niini sa iyang kaugalingong matahum ug talagsaong paagi.

The first time I met Bobet was in the foyer outside the chapel two years ago. He was with some teammates I didn’t know yet at the time. Miduol sila sa ako-a ug nag-mano, nag bless.  Gi-ingnan nako siya, “Ta-asa nimo, Dong, uy! Ga-basketball ka? Dula basketball diri!” Nangatawa ra sila sa ako-a. Little did I know he was our varsity team’s prized recruit.

Let’s be honest. Academics were not Bobet’s strong suit. Iyang mga teachers kay pirmi siyang masakpan nga natulog sa klase. Unsaon man pud nato ug dili mapansin? Taas man kaayo siya. Murag imposible nga matago. Ingon iyang mga classmate nga mag-abli siyag notebook, ipatong sa iyang paa, dayon iduko ang ulo aron murag seryoso kaayong nagbasa. 

Inig-free time, magtapok ang mga lalaki sa likod sa classroom ug mura’g adunay mini sleeping quarters didto. Kay didto saluyo magtapun-ug sila nga mangatulog. Ug siyempre, ga-una una gyud si Bobet didto.

Sa lima ka adlaw nga klase, murag tulo o upat ka adlaw siyang naka-PE uniform. Si Ma’am Jen, iyang moderator, gani daw nakaingon, “Baterbonia, ABM Major in PE!” Sa tinuod lang, halos wala pa gyud ko kakita niya nga nagsul-ob ug regular nga school uniform. Pirme gyud siyang naka-PE shirt. Basin gani pwede nato na iapil sa memorabilia sa gawas kay murag trademark naman gyud na niya.

Mao kana si Bobet sa classroom pero pagsulod sa basketball court, mura siyag mo-transform. Murag molahi nga tawo si Bobet inig dribble sa bola. Bobet was a young man whose mind came fully alive the moment a basketball was in his hands.

Mga igsoon, death always leaves us with questions, with regrets, and with the painful realization that someone we love is no longer physically present. Ang kamatayon kanunay nagbilin ug mga pangutana, mga pagmahay ug sa kamatuoran nga ang usa ka pinalanggang tawo nga atong gihigugma wala na dinhi uban kanato sa pisikal nga paagi. 

Tinuod nga masakit. Tinuod nga lisod dawaton. Apan dili ko motuo nga ang atong panagtigom karong gabhiona kinahanglan mapuno lamang sa kasubo. Nagtuo ko nga kinahanglan usab kini mapuno sa pagpasalamat. Ania kita dili lamang tungod kay namatay si Bobet. Ania kita tungod kay nabuhi si Bobet. We are here not only because Bobet died. We are here because Bobet lived — and he lived in a way that touched many lives. 

Busa karong gabhiona, dili lang kita maghilak. Manghinumdom pud ta. Mangatawa pud ta. Let’s tell stories bahin kang Bobet. And as we tell them, Bobet continues to teach us… even now, even here.

The first lesson he leaves us is the power of determination motivated by love. 

Many of us know the circumstances of Bobet’s family. Life was not always easy. Opportunities were not simply handed to him. Dili sayon ang ilang kinabuhi. Unya dili pud basta-basta moabot ang mga oportunidad sama sa pagdula ug basketball sa usa ka sikat nga varsity team. Apan sa matag higayon nga atong tan-awon si Bobet, wala kita makakita ug usa ka tawo nga napildi sa kalisdanan. Nakita nato ang usa ka tawo nga padayon nga naningkamot. Padayon nga nagpursigi nga mamaayo sa iyang mga dula. Ang iyang kusog ug pagpaningkamot sa basketball dili lang tungod kay ganahan siya modaog. Naay mas lawom nga rason: ang iyang gugma. Iyang gugma sa iyahang pamilya. Ang matag practice. Matag eskwela. Matag duwa. Matag sakripisyo. Naa gyud kini tanan nga mas lawom nga hinungdan.

Ug mao kini ang iyang paghigugma alang sa iyang pamilya. Ang iyang gugma ang naghatag kaniya ug kusog sa pag-practice samtang ang uban nagpahulay. Mao kana nga gugma ang naghatag kaniya ug kadasig sa pagpangandoy bisan pa sa kalisod.

Usahay madungog nato nga ang mga kabatan-onan karon puro kaugalingon lang ang gihunahuna. Apan dili si Bobet. His most powerful motivation and inspiration come from loving others especially his family. Mao kini ang gitawag nato sa Ignatian spirituality nga magis – ang tinguha nga mohatag pa ug labaw, dili alang sa kaugalingon lamang, kondili alang sauban. This is the magis, the desire to give more, lived out by a young man who simply wanted to help his family.

The second lesson is about his gifts themselves. Bobet was an MVP, through and through. Nakakita ko sa pipila niya kaduwa ug practices diri sa gym. His basketball IQ, his footwork in the paint, his anticipation of guys defending him were extraordinary. His coaches will tell you that Bobet had superior basketball intelligence 

Apan ang nakapahimo kaniya nga mas espesyal dili lang ang iyang basketball IQ. Kondili ang iyang pagkamapaubsanon. Maminaw siya og tambag. Maminaw siya. Mudawat og pangasaba sa coaches. Daghang atleta ang adunay talento. Apan dili tanan matudluan. Talent may get someone noticed, but humility is what allows a person to grow. Si Bobet adunay duha: Talento ug Pagkamapaubsanon. Ug mao kana ang hinungdan nganong nagpadayon siyang mitubo isip atleta ug isip usa ka tawo.

The third lesson (and maybe the one that will stay with us longest) is who Bobet was as a person: a gentle giant. Walang yabang sa katawan, dili hambugero. Sa iyahang ka-tas-on, sa iyang talento, dili gyud siya arogante! He was respectful, kind, easy to be around. His peers, his classmates loved him genuinely, because he never made anyone feel small — though, to be fair, everyone else was literally small standing next to him. He was genuinely kind.

Pero may angas sa court. The moment the ball was live, that gentle giant had confidence, had fire. He competed fiercely, because that is what athletes do. And somehow, that never contradicted his gentleness off the court… it complemented it. That balance, that integration, is exactly what mens sana in corpore sano is about.

Perhaps that is why his passing hurts so much. People may admire talent, but they mourn goodness. They grieve most deeply when someone who made them feel seen, respected, and valued is no longer with them. 

I entered Ateneo de Davao Senior High School in 2024, the very same year as Bobet. Because of that, I have always considered myself part of their batch — we began this journey together. During the Baccalaureate Mass last April, I told the graduating class that although we entered Senior High School at the same time, soon our paths would diverge. They would graduate, move on to college, pursue their dreams, and begin a new chapter of their lives, while I would remain in Senior High, welcoming new students and accompanying future batches. That was supposed to be the natural unfolding of things: they would move forward, and I would stay behind.

But life has a way of surprising us in ways we do not expect. Bobet was supposed to be among those moving forward with his classmates—preparing for college, dreaming new dreams, soaring in basketball glory, and stepping into a wider world of possibilities. His batchmates will be moving on, but he will not be with them. I will remain here, but he will no longer be here either. And tonight, it feels strange, and deeply painful, to be saying goodbye to a batchmate.

Bobet’s body – that strong, agile, gifted body that gave us so many unforgettable plays – is no longer with us. But the soundness of his mind, his heart, his character — these remain. “Mens sana” endures, even when “corpore sano” has been laid to rest. 

As Christians, we gather tonight with faith. We believe that death is not the end of the story. We believe that Christ, who conquered death, now welcomes Bobet into eternal life — where, perhaps, there is no more dozing off in class, only a court without end, and a body made whole again, finally at rest, finally home.

And so tonight, let us remember him well. Because in remembering him well, his spirit — sound, joyful, determined, gentle — continues to play on. Eternal rest grant unto Bobet, O  Lord. And let your perpetual light shine upon him.

P.S. Bet, duol naman kaayo ka sa Ginoo. Kung pwede lang, ug dili kaayo ka busy dira, ampo-i pud intawon nga makadaog ang Knicks. Salamat daan.