by Eneri Eidref Trinidad and Karyl Alexandra Ipac

Honoring the legacy of the late Filipino historian Renato Constantino and his infl uence in the study of Philippine history, the Constantino Foundation kicked off a history forum and launch of the 50th anniversary special hardbound edition of The Philippines: A Past Revisited held in Rosh Hotel Manila on August 26.

The relaunch of A Past Revisited drew a crowd of invited guests, some of whom are undergraduate students of the University of the Philippines-Manila (UPM), in the Colleges of Pharmacy and Public Health.

Originally published in 1975 during the Martial Law regime, the book tackles Philippine history in a nationalist stance, focusing on the Filipino struggle during the Spanish and American colonial rule.

Bernard Karganilla, a history professor at UPM and a close colleague of Constantino, formally opened the event with a warm welcome and delivered a keynote address underscoring the signifi cance of the book’s analysis in the context of the 21st century.
Meanwhile, Red Constantino, the late historian’s grandson and managing director of the Constantino Foundation, gave the audience a look into the book’s history, providing excerpts and explaining its enduring relevance amid pressing issues such as corruption and exploitation, which plague Philippine society.
“What it offered was a narrative of how a nation came to be, how full nationhood became stillborn, why democracy has remained in the hands of oligarchs, and why real independence and self-determination remains elusive today,” Constantino shared with the audience.
The Filipino people has long struggled with its forgetfulness, leaving the nation suffering in poverty and stagnation in spite of aspirations for progress and development. The author emphasizes the salience of lessons learned from a perspective of history that is innately Filipino, which serve as the guide to wherever the Filipino people aspires to be.

Moreover, Constantino, in his speech, also challenged the audience to constantly revisit the past, question everything, and do more than just “dismantling the structures and systems that repress” the people.

Past-Future Dynamics

A past determines the future with its presence in the present. In his statement, the foundation’s managing director addressed the “painful and familiar problems”, including corruption and the lack of support on healthcare and education.

“We have leaders who serve the private interests and the needs of foreign governments. And these leaders are again playing the cheerleader’s game of cowards expecting yet again the people to choose their master,” he added.

Following his criticism of the government offi cials’ negligence, Constantino emphasized the relevance of Philippine history chronicled by Renato and Letizia Constantino, highlighting the need for historical awareness as guidance to address the nation’s prevailing challenges .

Furthermore, citing that accountability is more important than freedom, he explained, “Anyone in this room can be free. Free to steal, free to kill, free to destroy what sustains us. What truly matters is not necessarily freedom. What truly matters is accountability because all of us have to be accountable. Accountable to our loved ones, accountable to our people, accountable to our community, and accountable to generations newly and yet to be born,”

Right and Wrong

Meanwhile, when asked about activism during the event’s history forum session, Constantino encouraged the audience to strike a balance between activism and our everyday lives, noting that “rallies are not the only way to contribute to the nation.”

“Ang oras na kayang ibigay, ibigay mo. Lampas doon, may obligasyon ka sa pagpapaigi sa sarili, sa komunidad, sa pamilya. Dahil ang huwarang aktibista ay marunong magmahal ng pamilya, ng asawa, ng girlfriend, ng boyfriend, ng kaniyang pamayanan. Hindi lamang sa bansa at isyu,” he said.

He also emphasized that regardless of one’s standing, having a sense of right and wrong is enough for a person to be guided through compromises and challenges.

Meanwhile, the republishing of the late historian’s “The Continuing Past” and the English translation of National Artist Virgilio Almario’s “Panitikan ng Rebolusyong 1896” are already on the work.