RENATO, Author at Constantino Foundation

Poets and scholars visit exhibit!

What a magical day it was to receive four fine women, all of them luminaries in their respective fields, three of them Constantino Foundation partners, thanks to the IYAS and one who was a close personal friend of Letizia Roxas Constantino, and, in her words, a proud student of Renato Constantino.

This was the second visit of the esteemed feminist scholar and writer, Rosalinda Pineda Ofreneo, who had joined the opening of the exhibit last April 9, the birthday of the woman honored in the event. At the exhibit’s opening, Tita Inday, as her legion of students, friends, and fans call her, had to wade through over 150 people who had turned up, and she knew she saw too little of the displays, letters, and [READ]

RENATO2025-05-26T18:46:38+08:00May 23, 2025|

Julio Nakpil

Ang giliw ni Giliw

We remember today Julio Nakpil, born on 22 May 1897. He was a composer and, as a general in the Philippine Revolution, belongs to the pantheon of giants of the Filipino nation. Nakpil adopted the clandestine name J. Giliw. He led a full and meaningful life serving his people. His letter, dated 28 September 1897, is most interesting. Nakpil wrote the letter as the head of the revolutionary movement’s High Council to raise funds for the Katipunan ng mga Anak ng Bayan four months after assassins carried out the order of Emilio Aguinaldo to execute Andres Bonifacio. According to the historian Jim [READ]

RENATO2025-05-22T13:44:50+08:00May 22, 2025|

Discover the story of Letizia Roxas Constantino in this moving feature by Rolling Stone Philippines

This Exhibition Brings A Hidden Figure Into The National Spotlight

From April 9 to May 30, the retrospective “Letizia: A Life in Letters” will be open to the public and will spotlight the life and writings of the esteemed but humble historian and nationalist

By Mel Wang | April 10, 2025 | Rolling Stone Philippines

Letizia Roxas Constantino, the late wife to nationalist historian and acclaimed journalist Renato Constantino, had often shied away from the spotlight. Despite being an esteemed writer, historian, and academic herself, Letizia had little desire to be a prominent figure in historical textbooks. When the matriarch was invited to be a guest speaker at The Philippine Booklovers in 1978 in place of her husband, she emphasized that she was at the podium “quite by accident.” “Instead of the major Constantino, you have this afternoon, the minor [READ]

RENATO2025-06-09T17:01:34+08:00May 20, 2025|

A visit from the royalty of good causes

A visit from the royalty of good causes: Three generations of fine Filipinas dropped by to see the Letizia: A Life in Letters exhibit. It was a pleasure to guide Teresita Ang See, her daughter Meah, and Meah’s daughter, Mayim, around the Constantino Foundation’s Linangan Gallery.

Tessy, as the academic and civic leader is known to friends, and Meah, are family friends. Meah is also a writer and, like her mother, is actively involved in countless social causes.

Renato and Letizia knew Tessy. Past foundation president, the late RC Constantino, his wife, Dudi (seen in the picture with her son, Red) and their children are good friends with both Tessy and Meah. It was thus a delight in Panay Ave. to receive Mayim as well, now a young woman pursuing a career in the arts.

Tessy and Meah are behind the celebrated Bahay Tsinoy, museum of Chinese in Philippine Life in Manila [READ]

RENATO2025-05-20T21:11:50+08:00May 20, 2025|

No instructions. No assignment. Just inspiration.

“It felt like her words filled the entire room.” Francheska put pen to paper after experiencing Letizia: A Life in Letters. No prompt. Just purpose.

#LetiziaALifeInLetters #ConstantinoFoundation

RENATO2025-05-15T12:02:24+08:00May 15, 2025|

Remedios “Kumander Liwayway” Gomez-Paraiso

We remember today the 11th death anniversary of one of our country’s finest, Remedios Gomez-Paraiso, #HUKBALAHAP, Kumander Liwayway (July 12, 1918 – May 15, 2014) who would wear lipstick and makeup before battle with Japanese fascists. She wanted to look beautiful before she slayed the enemy, an expression, she said, of her femininity. #HukbongMapagpalayaNgBayan #HMB #Bayani

With thanks again to the artist, Johnny Guarin, who made the original Alas ng Bayan paintings in the tradition of tarot cards, five aces in all even if there should only be four in any deck. Because women do not have to abide by society’s often men-imposed restrictions.

RENATO2025-05-15T11:52:45+08:00May 15, 2025|

PUP Visitors

#SintangPaaralan graduate students taking up the Seminar on the Philippine Nation State under the Master of Arts in Philippine Studies program. With them is Dr Raul Sebastian, former Dean of the PUP College of Social Sciences and Development and current Chair of the PUP Master of Arts Philippine Studies Program. [READ]

RENATO2025-05-14T08:52:03+08:00May 14, 2025|

More journos visiting

More journos visiting: TeleRadyo Serbisyo Journalists Christian Yosores and Pamela Vasquez dropped by last May 3 to see the exhibit, Letizia: A Life in Letters. Mabuhay!

RENATO2025-05-14T08:47:45+08:00May 13, 2025|

Industrial design students explore the archives of Letizia Roxas Constantino

A group of senior students taking up industrial design recently visited the exhibit, all the way from their Diliman campus. They were surrounded above and around them by artifacts and letters and all sorts of memories kept, recorded, and filed by the relentless chronicler that was Letizia Roxas Constantino, one of the founders of the Constantino Foundation. [READ]

RENATO2025-05-14T08:44:53+08:00May 12, 2025|

A student’s take on Letizia: A Life in Letters — written from the heart, not for a grade

When a student takes the initiative to reflect on history, you know it made an impact. Here is Colleen Joy’s sincere take on Letizia: A Life in Letters — written from the heart, not for a grade. #LetiziaALifeInLetters [READ]

RENATO2025-05-11T23:56:24+08:00May 10, 2025|

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