Some merchandise inspired by late student-athlete Rene Baterbonia drew attention online, with Filipinos reacting to their prices.
An X (formerly Twitter) user uploaded a video showing merchandise honoring the late Atenean, including jerseys and keychains.
The uploader featured in the video purchased a jersey for P650, while the keychain was priced at P350.
The prices surprised the X user who uploaded the clip.
“GRABE!!! PASABOG ANG PRESYO NG ‘RENE MERCHANDISE,'” the X user wrote, adding pleading eyes emojis.
GRABE!!! PASABOG ANG PRESYO NG “RENE MERCHANDISE” 🥺🥺🥺 pic.twitter.com/3Wh8X7fVem
— Mega Kapamilya (@MegaKapamilya) August 12, 2026
The post has so far garnered over 320,000 views, 1,400 likes, 243 reshares and 144 replies on X, with some expressing similar sentiments.
“Gets naman na ito na ‘yung ginagawa nila Rene bago pa siya mamatay, pero para sa ganyang item? Sobrang taas ng price,” one wrote.
“NAPAKAMAHAL NAMAN NG MGA IYAN! Tumutubong pangkabuhayan talaga ang kamatayan!” another commented.
“K-pop level price. Next na ba lightstick?” a different user asked.
“Grabe ‘yung P700 nga dito, may shorts at surname mo na ta’s diyan, P650?? Also, the keychain na tig P50—350??” another Pinoy commented.
After Rene’s untimely death during a team-building activity led by then-Ateneo Blue Eagles Men’s Basketball Team head coach Tab Baldwin in June, a video of the student-athlete signing keychains bearing his name and photo went viral.
The merchandise was among the ways Rene helped financially support his family.
After he passed away, his mother continued the tradition by signing the keychains herself.
A Facebook page called “Baterbonia’s Collections” was later created to showcase merchandise inspired by Rene, including keychains and shirts with Rene’s name and image.
When Rene was still alive, Rovelyn sold keychains featuring her son’s photo and signature for P50 each.
Rene was an 18-year-old basketball player from Agusan del Sur who was set to make his UAAP debut in Season 88 as an Ateneo Blue Eagles player.
He was named the Most Valuable Player (MVP) of the 2025 Palarong Pambansa after helping lead the Davao Region to the championship in the multi-sport event.
Rene drowned at a beach during a team-building activity in Dipaculao, Aurora, organized by Baldwin.
Baldwin has since resigned from his post and was fined nearly P10 million by the Department of Labor and Employment for alleged labor violations involving his employment as a foreign national.
Another student-athlete, Nigerian import Divine Adili, also died during the same team-building activity in June.
