Stories

Binondo Day

We celebrate Binondo Day by sharing the post of a group that’s very much involved in nation-building. As ignorance fuels hate, so must we feed our senses – with history. If you haven’t tried one of their tours yet, we encourage you to seek them out. They’re mostly young folks from different offices and courses who’ve come together because of a common inspiration: our country’s past. They desire change for the better just like you, a rebirth, if you wish, as their name suggests. Thanks to their work they help reveal where we came from and who we are as a people.

Now: where exactly do we need to go, and what is the common future we must build together? Ah. That is no longer for Renacimiento Manila to decide. That question we must answer together – [READ]

RENATO2026-03-30T18:41:21+08:00March 29, 2026|

Nothing New in the World

Renato Redentor Constantino, The Poverty of Memory: Essays on History and Empire (FNS-2006), p. 52-55

Nothing New in the World
The winding path the United States took to September 11th.

“Memory says, ‘I did that,’” Friedrich Nietzsche once wrote. “Pride replies, ‘I could not have done that.’ Eventually, memory yields.”

Three years ago in America, on September 11, airplanes fell from the sky and thousands died. Countless numbers mourned the mass murder. Countless mourn still. On the same day 31 years ago, the sky fell in Chile when the democratically-elected Allende government was overthrown in a bloody coup staged by the American government. Who mourns the Chilean sky?

Remembering is a political act, wrote Boston Globe columnist James Carroll. “Forgetfulness is the handmaiden of tyranny.”

In 1953, the United States engineered a coup in Iran which ousted the government of Prime Minister Mohammad Mossadegh — an Iranian colossus who happened to live in a frail [READ]

RENATO2026-03-03T17:18:30+08:00March 3, 2026|

Day Two: Lester Rodriguez Leads Watercolor Workshop with Sagay Youth

Lester Rodriguez, distinguished artist from Binangonan, begins the day with a watercolor workshop with Sagay youth. It’s a great platform – later, we’ll lead a workshop with teachers on how to use art in appreciating and interrogating history and science.

RENATO2026-02-28T18:34:02+08:00February 28, 2026|

Opening Daybreak of the 13th Nature Encounter Arts Month in Sagay

Sunrise just before the 13th Nature Encounter Arts Month Celebration opens in Sagay, Negros Occidental. Themed “Duta, Tubig, Hangin,” the festival was initiated in 2013 by the celebrated artist Nunelucio Alvarado. Festivities commence early morning at the coastal spot of Kape Albarako, with body painting, dancing, performance art, and kites flying against a backdrop of the open sea. Led by Pintor Kulapol and other local artist groups, films will be shown with dances and visual art exhibits. A number of art and history appreciation sessions will be held with local teachers, which the Constantino Foundation is contributing to.

Photos © ConstantinoFoundation.

RENATO2026-02-28T18:34:56+08:00February 27, 2026|

The Snap Revolution: A Post Mortem

The past is always present, but often concealed or costumed. Letizia Roxas Constantino wrote this in March 1986, less than a month after EDSA:

“The portentous events of February followed one another in rapid succession involving many millions of Filipinos in accustomed actions of commitment and courage and evoking in the whole nation a gamut of strong emotions from fear, dejection, and disgust, to pride and euphoria of victory.”

“Given the dismal 20-year record of the Marcos administration, the opposition did not lack issues. However, it concentrated on corruption, hidden wealth and Imelda’s extravagance, Ninoy’s assassination, and repression and terrorism. When they decried growing poverty and mounting foreign debts, the candidates blamed it all on Marcos, exonerating by their silence the US which had consistently and generously supported him all [READ]

RENATO2026-02-18T14:20:31+08:00February 18, 2026|

Revisiting February 4, 1899: The Philippine-American War in Historical Context

More than a date on the calendar, February 4, 1899 marks the beginning of the Philippine-American War. The conflict set in motion a new phase in Philippine history, one that continues to shape how this period is studied and understood.

This year, the Pandesal Forum at Kamuning Bakery Cafe returned to this moment through historical discussion, situating the war within its broader context and revisiting its place in the nation’s past.

Image source: Oskee Recabar’s Facebook Post and Constantino Foundation

Read Original Story Here

RENATO2026-02-07T17:28:36+08:00February 7, 2026|

A panelist’s reflection on the historical discussions from recent Pandesal Forum sessions

We share here a panelist’s reflection on the historical discussions from recent Pandesal Forum sessions, including those on the Abad Santos family and the Philippine–American Memorial Day, and on the transmission of historical memory across generations.

[READ]

RENATO2026-02-07T16:53:23+08:00February 7, 2026|

Pedro Abad Santos 150th Birth Anniversary Lecture

Dr Ian Christopher Alfonso gave a lecture yesterday worthy of the 150th birth anniversary of the revolutionary Pedro Abad Santos. We thank our co-organizers, the National Historical Commission of the Philippines, the UP Department of History, and the City of San Fernando, Pampanga. Read More About The Lecture Here

RENATO2026-01-28T22:47:19+08:00January 28, 2026|

We are honored to be part of an event honoring one of the country’s finest – and one of Pampanga’s greats – Pedro Abad Santos.

Join if you can, it’s free – but remember, first come, first served basis. Seats are limited! Lezzgo and let’s learn tons of insights together. It’s not everyday one gets to hear the compelling scholar, Dr. Ian Christopher Alfonso, speak. #aPastRevisited #MabuhaySiDonPerico [READ]

RENATO2026-01-28T22:42:25+08:00January 27, 2026|

🌱✨ A New Year, a New Celebration of Curiosity! ✨🌱

This January 2026, we highlight “Damayan” by Celine and Dennis Murillo, awarded 2nd Best Film in Indie-Siyensya, the pioneering science filmmaking competition of DOST-SEI. Their work reminds us how a nation is built, one mushroom at a time.

Their film draws attention to the hidden networks beneath our forests –the mycelial threads that connect and protect life. By bringing these unseen systems to light, Damayan shows how science and art together can deepen our understanding of ecology and spark curiosity about the world we often overlook.

For us, Damayan is a reminder that abundance is both fragile and resilient. Seeds, blooms, edible plants, and towering trees are not merely resources but part of a living cosmos that calls for care and respect.

It’s about the science of art, [READ]

RENATO2026-02-03T17:02:33+08:00January 18, 2026|

Stories

Nothing New in the WorldThe winding path the United States took to September 11th.

Nothing New in the World
The winding path the United States took to September 11th.