He grew up on a small farm where he learned to ride carabaos and catch fish by hand.
[5] From 1984 to 1988 he studied at the University of the Philippines in Los Baños, where he obtained the Bachelor of Science in Zoology.
From 1992, he completed a biology degree at the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC) at the invitation of Lawrence R. Heaney, where he graduated in 1995 with a Master of Science.
The project team, made up of Filipino and US scientists, included Balete, Lawrence R. Heaney of the Field Museum of Natural History, Mariano Roy Duya and Melizar Duya of the University of the Philippines, Sharon Jansa of the University of Minnesota, Eric Rickart of the Natural History Museum of Utah and Scott Steppan of Florida State University.
[18] Balete's research also focuses on indigenous members of the Rafflesia plant genus.