RENATO, Author at Constantino Foundation

A Gathering of Ideas: UP CMC hosts Convocation for Historian and Journalist

by Red Constantino

All the tools available to you, use them, and use them for the greater cause of national freedom and social liberation. Decolonize. Words often said by Letizia before she passed away in 2016. We did a lot of the first point last Saturday at the convocation for Renato Constantino, and likewise discussed in different details the second point, because we cannot completely decarbonize without full decolonization, and without decarbonization we cannot fully decolonize.

Much was shared by the speakers, but UP College Media and Communication (CMC) Dean Diosa Labiste framed a lot of narratives early when she spoke of the long overdue review of Renato Constantino’s contributions as a journalist.

We talked briefly before the event formally began as Dr. Labiste recounted The Manipulated Press, a book by one of the speakers, Rosalinda Ofreneo, published in 1984 with an introduction by Constantino. I mentioned The State of the Philippine Press, [READ]

RENATO2026-06-17T02:18:34+08:00April 20, 2026|Tags: RenatoConstantinoRevisited|

Outtakes from a Full House at UP CMC

Outtakes from last Saturday: It was a full house last Saturday at the auditorium of the UP College of Media and Communication. We appreciate the support of (tech person for helping, and Jingky), as well as King and Zylon for contributing photos of the event. So many questions, and so many angles tackled meant it was a fruitful day not just for all the participants who found time but also the speakers, who appreciated the questions and comments. Maraming salamat of course to Dean Diosa Labiste and Professor Emeritus Rene Ofreneo, who both hatched the idea of the convocation. A recording of the talks will be posted soon; watch this space. We thank once more our co-organizers UP CMC, Alpha Phi Beta, and the Asia-Europe Institute of Universiti Malaya.

[READ]

RENATO2026-06-17T02:18:35+08:00April 20, 2026|Tags: RenatoConstantinoRevisited|

Registration is now open for Renato Constantino Revisited!

Join us for Renato Constantino Revisited: A Forum on the Role of Dissent in Development, the Usable Past, and his Lifelong Romance with Letizia Roxas-Constantino in pursuit of National Liberation.

UP CMC Auditorium, Plaridel Hall Annex

April 18

2:00 – 5:00 [READ]

RENATO2026-06-17T02:18:36+08:00April 14, 2026|Tags: RenatoConstantinoRevisited|

Save the date! A convocation in honor of Renato Constantino and current global and national issues blazing in the news today

What is behind the country’s persistent underdevelopment and what explains the acceleration of industrialization among our neighbors? What are the links closely binding decolonization and decarbonization and how do these shape our people’s aspiration to industrialize today? What is the relevance of Philippine history with regard to fossil economy-triggered conflicts in West Asia, territorial disputes in contested international waters, and the worsening climate crisis? What is the relevance today of the lives lived by Renato Constantino and Letizia Roxas Constantino and why did they dedicate their lives to advance the cause of nationalism and partisan scholarship in the Philippines?

These questions and more will be addressed at the event, which will be held at the ???????? ???????????????????????????? ???????? ???????????????????? ???????????? ???????????????????????????????????????????????????? ???????? ???????????????????? ???????? ???????????????? ????-????????????. The Constantino Foundation thanks the UP College of Media and Communication, Alpha Phi Beta, Asia-Europe Institute of Universiti Malaya and visiting [READ]

RENATO2026-06-17T02:18:36+08:00April 10, 2026|Tags: RenatoConstantinoRevisited|

Honoring Letizia Roxas Constantino: A Generational Filipina from Capiz

Today, we remember one of the most understated figures in Philippine intellectual history – but no doubt, a proud daughter of the Province of Capiz.

She is Letizia Roxas Constantino, who was born April 9, 1920, to Mamerto Acuna Roxas and Mercedes Fuentes. Both parents hailed from the town of Capiz (now Roxas City). Mamerto Roxas was the older brother of President Manuel Roxas, while Mercedes Fuentes was the older sister of National Artist for Music, Jovita Fuentes.

Letizia Roxas was married in 1943 to nationalist historian Renato Constantino. With him, she devoted her life to scholarship, writing, and the pursuit of a deeper, more authentic understanding of the Filipino identity.

Working closely with her husband, she co-authored seminal works such as “The Philippines: [READ]

RENATO2026-04-10T22:39:23+08:00April 9, 2026|

Letizia, Valor, and Vigilance

The nation celebrates April 9 each year as the Day of Valor. We commemorate not just the fall of Bataan but the acts of heroism displayed by the likes of the Hunters-ROTC Guerillas and the Huks, which both resisted, sometimes together, the onslaught of Japanese fascists.

The 9th of April this year is also the 106th birth anniversary of the historian and writer Letizia Roxas Constantino. Were she alive today – a period flooded with AI slop, misinformation, fake news, and campaigns of disinformation – Letizia would remind us of a way of thinking that keeps citizens active and discerning.

Valor cannot be exercised without vigilance. Vigilance can be exercised only when we are informed. Information is useless without discernment, a way of thinking that interest in history will teach. This was why Letizia was a voracious consumer of magazines, journals, and the news.

In 1988, before the internet’s dominance, Letizia wrote: “I [READ]

RENATO2026-04-08T23:18:30+08:00April 8, 2026|

Pandesal Forum at Kamuning Bakery Café

April 9, 2026 | 9:00 AM
43 Judge Jimenez St., Brgy. Kamuning, Quezon City

In commemoration of Araw ng Kagitingan (Day of Valor), the forum will feature discussions on World War II resistance, historical perspectives, and peace in Asia, with a lineup of historians, scholars, and public figures.

Live on Facebook tomorrow! See you!

Kamuning Bakery Cafe was co-founded by Lt. Marcelo Javier, who was a Hunters guerrilla. He was killed by invaders at the Battle of Manila. The father of his wife, Kamuning [READ]

RENATO2026-04-08T16:36:36+08:00April 8, 2026|

Pandesal Forum: Memory, Justice, and Geopolitics — April 9 Media Briefing at Kamuning Bakery

A media briefing this April 9/Thursday. Historians and analysts comment on the heroism of Hunters-ROTC Guerillas and the Huks and the campaign of justice for Comfort Women as it all relates to Japan’s military deployment to the Philippines – the first time since WWII – and heated disputes surrounding international waters in the Pacific, and the ongoing war on Iran. Yet another compelling Pandesal Forum at the house of memory named Kamuning Bakery.

RENATO2026-04-08T16:29:46+08:00April 7, 2026|

RC Constantino

April 4 marks the second anniversary of the passing of RC Constantino, activist and former chair and president of the Constantino Foundation. We share on this occasion a much loved poem he wrote, which calls on its readers to be better, to do better, and to live for causes greater than the individual self. We also leave you with a timely reminder from one of many campaigns RC was involved in, which defined who he was and the brand of nationalism he stood for.

Days ago, Iran allowed Philippine-flagged ships safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz. To the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) bureaucracy and leadership, we say bravo, you deserve the public’s applause. However small or great the respite, given the global emergency created by the war on Iran, the relief this will give our [READ]

RENATO2026-04-04T20:16:22+08:00April 4, 2026|

Six Years Later: Mounting the UP Manila Exhibit at Last

We count more than just activities such as an exhibit the public can enjoy. What matters to us as well is the experience of working with institutions and building lasting friendships—comrades, if you will—in the shared work of advancing historical thinking.

We had a meaningful and memorable collaboration with UP Manila, working closely with the Museum of a History of Ideas. The exhibit was originally scheduled for March 10–21, 2020, but was put on hold and eventually cancelled due to the pandemic. It came as a pleasant surprise when, six years later, we were able to mount the exhibit on almost the exact same dates—March 10–21, 2026, later extended to March 24—without intending to do so.

This exhibition was made possible through the inspired leadership of Dr. Honey Libertine Achanzar-Labor, as well as the energy and dedication of Ana Selena Mercado and Marc Lester Racelis. We were also glad to have worked [READ]

RENATO2026-03-31T00:39:25+08:00March 31, 2026|

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