"Great things come from hard work and perseverance.” These are the immortal words of Kobe Bryant that have been the career mantra of OIC Center Director Fil Victor “Dodoy” Aranas Babanto. Through his tenacity and diligence, it is no surprise that at 54 he now holds the highest rank at the Regional Training Center in Caraga region.

OIC-CD Babanto was born in Poblacion, Mahinog, Camiguin on March 6, 1967. Growing up on an island born of fire taught him to be courageous and resilient in the face of adversity. During his teenage years, he left Camiguin to study college in Cagayan de Oro City. In 1989, he finished his B.S. degree in Agriculture at Xavier University (Ateneo de Cagayan). He returned to Camiguin in 1991 and served the local farmers as an Agricultural Technologist (AT) for 11 years. Then in 2002, a career opportunity at the Agricultural Training Institute – Provincial Training Center (ATI-PTC) in Cagayan de Oro City propelled him to leave the Local Government Unit in favor of a higher national government position. He worked at the ATI-PTC as Agriculturist II for two years. But in 2004, the office had to be abandoned due to an organizational shift in ATI. At that time, three ATI Centers in Region 10 were merged into one Regional Training Center (RTC) located in El Salvador, Misamis Oriental.

That change became a cloud on the horizon for Mr. Babanto. His transfer to ATI-RTC 13 in Butuan City entailed a lot of personal, professional, and legal struggles. But it is always darkest before dawn. After all the hardships were over, blessings came in succession. In 2019, he was promoted as Information Officer III and re-instated as Chief of the Information Services Section (ISS). During his time as ISS Chief, the section received numerous recognitions from ATI Central Office – Information Services Division. During the pandemic, he took units in Master in Public Service Management at the Capitol University (CU) in Cagayan de Oro City to further his knowledge on public administration. Then in 2021, less than three years after his promotion, he was designated as OIC Center Director of ATI-RTC 13.

He has five children namely: Fil Earvin, Genella Stephen, Bryant Fil, Fil Kristian, and Gadiel Niño. Four of his five children are now in the United States of America (USA).

As a sports enthusiast and health-conscious individual, he spends his spare time biking or playing tennis, ping-pong, and basketball. He is an avid fan of the NBA and idolizes American basketball legend, Kobe Bryant.