RENATO, Author at Constantino Foundation

Lean Alejandro

September 19 marks the 38th anniversary of the murder of Lean Alejandro, the young activist who helped bring down the Marcos dictatorship and whose heroic life we should be celebrating rather than merely marking the brutal manner of his passing.

Lean will one day loom large in Philippine history because, like so many who fought for our country and people, he dedicated his life to establish the full possibility of democracy in our nation, without any expectation he would be around to enjoy the fruits of the struggle.

Lean was a selfless youth leader brimming with ideas, his imagination fired by the dreams of his people, a people who have long longed for peace, prosperity, and the space to celebrate life’s simple joys – for working Filipino families to enjoy enough leisure time, to cook for friends and family, to read fiction, philosophy, and poetry, to play ping pong and support other [READ]

RENATO2025-09-22T23:36:52+08:00September 19, 2025|

The historian Renato Constantino was a pioneering intellectual who called for a full transition to renewable energy in 1979 to establish energy security and to protect the people from volatility and ecological collapse. #RenewableEnergyNow #Visionary #apastrevisited

RENATO2025-09-18T16:43:00+08:00September 18, 2025|

TIMELESS INTELLECT: Constantino foundation reissues late historian’s book on 50th year

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 [READ]

RENATO2025-11-15T00:30:49+08:00September 18, 2025|

Renato Constantino

The historian Renato Constantino passed away 26 years ago on 15 September, the very birthday of his son, RC, who designed the iconic cover of The Philippines: A Past Revisited. The book continues to be a mirror, a hammer, and a torch, as an academic recently noted. Indeed, the concept championed by Constantino – a usable past – is most useful today as we witness open thievery on display alongside the dominance of greedy dynasties treating the country’s treasury as their private piggy bank.

Where did all this begin? In many places, for sure, but there’s also one occasion that should always pop out. On 13 September 1907 the American forces occupying the Philippines hanged the last great resistance leader, the Filipino revolutionary Macario Sakay. He was a Katipunan original who fought Spanish colonialists alongside Andres Bonifacio. [READ]

RENATO2025-09-22T23:37:40+08:00September 15, 2025|

An abundant harvest of books that includes a special edition of Renato Constantino’s ‘A Past Revisited’

September 13, 2025 | Cover Story PH | Liana Garcellano

The 50th-anniversary special edition of “A Past Revisited”

The current harvest of books is particularly abundant, and includes a special hardbound edition of Renato Constantino’s “A Past Revisited” as well as Atom Araullo’s “A View from the Ground,” Benjamin Pimentel’s “UG: The Life and Struggle of Edgar Jopson,” and Roderick Toledo’s “The Ruminant Ant & Other Essays.”

“A Past Revisited” was first published in 1975—a feat at the time for two reasons. First, it came three years into the martial law era and, second, in those early days when the effects of climate change had yet to be fully felt worldwide, Renato Constantino was already advocating for a rapid transition to renewable energy. He wrote: “The acceleration of efforts towards developing [READ]

RENATO2025-11-15T00:30:50+08:00September 14, 2025|

MIBF 2025 — Day 3!

The Constantino Foundation continues at the Manila International Book Fair with our history titles, including the 50th anniversary edition of The Philippines: A Past Revisited with a new introduction.

Find us at Booth 2-156, in partnership with Boox That Leave a Mark, on the second floor of SMX Convention Center (very near the first entrance).

After the strong turnout from Days 1 and 2, we’ve restocked for Day 3 to make sure more readers and history enthusiasts can bring home our books.

[READ]

RENATO2025-09-13T10:03:09+08:00September 12, 2025|

History in the Spotlight: Constantino Foundation at MIBF 2025

Exciting news! Constantino Foundation history books, including the new 50th anniversary edition of The Philippines: A Past Revisited, with a new intro and layout, are featured at the Manila International Book Fair 2025. Visit us at Booth 2-156, in partnership with Boox that Leave a Mark, at the second floor of SMX Convention Center. We’re very near the first entrance.

So many visited on Day 1 and purchased copies of the books so we have to restock by tomorrow; It was also [READ]

RENATO2025-09-13T09:55:09+08:00September 11, 2025|

Student Reflections on A Past Revisited following the 50th Anniversary Launch

These visual essays and testimonials capture how A Past Revisited continues to resonate with a new generation of learners. From critical insights on historical distortion to personal reflections on civic responsibility, each piece affirms the enduring relevance of Renato Constantino and Letizia Roxas Constantino’s work in shaping historical consciousness and public engagement.

We commend the contributors for their thoughtful participation and for advancing the discourse on historical truth and public memory.

RENATO2025-09-09T18:28:24+08:00September 11, 2025|

Mga Liham ni Letizia

Ni John Iremil Teodoro

GUSTO kong magsulat muli ng mga liham—sulat-kamay sa papel—kagaya ng ginagawa ko noong nasa kolehiyo ako, noong madalang pa ang kompiyuter, at ang cellphone ay pinag-uusapan pa lamang na para bang nasa malayong hinaharap pa ito mangyayari. Ito ang nararamdaman ko kahapon, Setyembre 8, habang pinapanood ko ang exhibit na “Letizia: A Life in Letters” sa Linangan Museum ng Constantino Foundation sa Panay Avenue, Lungsod Quezon.

Noong nakaraang linggo kasi ay nakita sa ilang Facebook post na inilunsad ang 50th year special edition ng librong The Philippines: A Past Revisited ni Renato Constantino ng Constantino Foundation. Hardbound edition pa ito at bilang isang hardbound book addict, hindi ako mapakali hanggat magkaroon ako ng kopya nito. Agad akong nag-message kay Red Constantino, ang managing director ng Constantino Foundation, na pupunta ako sa Linangan Gallery nila sa Panay Avenue sa Quezon City sa darating na Lunes upang bumili ng kopya [READ]

RENATO2025-09-13T09:34:08+08:00September 10, 2025|

From Past to Present: PUP Reflections on The Philippines: A Past Revisited

The enduring influence of The Philippines: A Past Revisited (APR) by Letizia Roxas Constantino and Renato Constantino was celebrated in a special book launch held at the Polytechnic University of the Philippines (PUP) as part of the Research Colloquium of the PUP Department of History and the PUP Samahan ng Mag-aaral ng Kasaysayan. Nearly 50 years since it was first published, the book continues to resonate with new generations, reaffirming its place as one of the most important works in Philippine historiography.

RENATO2025-09-09T21:18:21+08:00September 10, 2025|

RENATO

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