Constantino Foundation – Page 28 – Dedicated to a usable history, where lessons from the past are used to shape the future.

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spot.ph reissued: Kara David & Karmina Constantino on the Lola Who Taught Them the Power of Words

(SPOT.ph) Before they were household names, they were simply Hochi and Minh—cousins who spent a lot of time together, little children running around during Sunday[READ]

A Source of Pride

February 4, 2026 marks the 127th anniversary of the beginning of the Philippine-American War, a badly remembered chapter in our history. We don’t know[READ]

Commemorating the 150th Birth Anniversary of Pedro Abad Santos (1876–2026)

Image source: Mabuhay News On January 31 at Kamuning Bakery Café, Quezon City, the Pandesal Forum gathered scholars, family representatives, and public[READ]

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There is a lot more to say about July 12, the day “an international tribunal invalidated China’s expansive maritime claims in the South China Sea,” a ruling that “continues to reshape the region’s strategic and legal landscape.”*

It is elating so many continue to add their voices to the recognition of jurisdictions covering Philippine territory. Many have pledged life and limb to the cause. Yet should we not expect the same drive and energy directed at protecting what is within reach? Sovereignty is not an abstract concept.

[READ]

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Pasts Revisited

The historian Renato Constantino was ahead of his time. Around 30 years ago he was already calling for the kind of thinking that is accepted today as necessary wisdom. #PioneerIntellectual #APastRevisited

September 9, 2025|

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Philippine Star extends an invitation to the exhibit

"Individuals can visit an immersive exhibit titled “Letizia: A Life in Letters,” which showcases the preserved writings, personal journals, and memorabilia of historian Letizia Roxas-Constantino at the Linangan Gallery in Quezon City on Friday. It is a tribute to Constantino’s legacy as a writer, historian, and educator. The exhibit offers an[READ]

Acclaimed journalist Ces Drilon visited the Letizia exhibit, took lovely photos, and posted her reflections on what she encountered. Enjoy!

"Letizia: A Life in Letters is an inspiring and moving exhibit at the Linangan Gallery of the Constantino Foundation. Leticia Roxas Constantino’s letters and journals were given life in a multi sensoral showcase of music, personal belongings, video, photos with letters as if floating in the air. A must see - especially[READ]

Journos and photos visit the exhibit

A group of media people visited the exhibit yesterday, led by acclaimed photojournalists Joan Bondoc and Manny Palmero, seen here with their lens on at the entrance. Joining them were Bernard Testa, Michael Varcas, Santino San Juan, Manny Palmero, Riza Zuniga, John Eiron Raymundo Francisco, Robert JA Basilio, and Ann Angala.[READ]

Philippine News Agency at Letizia: A Life in Letters

Red Constantino, grandson of Letizia and Renato Constantino, guides visitors through the immersive exhibit "Letizia: A Life in Letters" at Linangan Gallery in Quezon City on Friday (May 2, 2025). The exhibit until May 30 showcases the preserved writings, personal journal and memorabilia of Letizia, a writer, historian and educator, and[READ]

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“We have been so wonderfully blessed in the past week by the presence of tremendously inspiring people, one of them, the one who likes to “shake trees”, is Sir Renato Redentor Constantino who moved the entire plenary to feel, think, and act… people couldn’t help but share and talk about the presentation. I told Sir Red that by the second day of the event, people realized there were ‘deeper commitments than professionalism.’”

Floraime Pantaleta
Executive Director, Ateneo Zamboanga-Mindanao Institute
“One of the most towering texts of nationalist historiography — co-authored by Letizia Constantino, whose voice carried the struggle for true independence into classrooms and beyond.”

Michael “Xiao” Chua
Historian , On his column at The Manila Times
“Letizia Constantino: Nationalist historian, wife and mother” 2025 June 17
"... A Past Revisited sparked a different kind of revolution, one that urged Filipinos to view history through our own eyes and experiences. Thank you very much to our dear friend, ABS-CBN’s Karmina Constantino, a resident of San Juan, for inviting me to be part of this historic occasion."

Mayor Francis Zamora
San Juan City Governor , On his speech at APR 50th anniversary edition launch at NHCP Museo El Deposito
2025 August 29
“Taos pusong pagpapasalamat ng angkang Orosa for your inclusion of our Beloved Maria Y. Orosa in this PUP mural. Renato Redentor Constantino, we are ever grateful for this honor and recognition. Our forebears knew each other. Mine spoke highly of the Constantinos!”

Evelyn Orosa del Rosario Garcia
Great grand niece of Maria Y. Orosa and author of National Book Award winner
Appetite for Freedom: The Recipes of Maria Y. Orosa, with Essays on Her Life and Work.
“My first brush with Renato Constantino was through Mr. Herman Rochester, our 4th year high school adviser, who lent me his Miseducation of the Filipino. From then on I was hooked. In college, I encountered Parents and Activists, which helped me understand my parents’ objections to my activism, then his books A Past Revisited and A Continuing Past which made me learn history in a way that I was never taught in my elementary and high school years. His and his wife Letizia’s many articles, pamphlets, books and publications were guiding lights that stirred up the makabayan and palaban in me. Theirs was a writing that was nakakapagmulat at nakakataas ng pag-unawa.”

Teddy Casiño
Former Bayan Muna Representative, Facebook post
11 June 2026
“A Past Revisited was both a revelation and a challenge. It made us see the familiar narratives of Philippine history in new and unsettling ways. It invited us to ask deeper questions—about power, about colonial legacies, about the struggles and aspirations of our people. And it also gave us a sense of responsibility: to carry history forward not just as memory, but as a guide for action and transformation.”

Dr. Chas M. Navarro
Commissioner, National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP)
On his remarks at the launch of the 50th Anniversary Special Edition of The Philippines: A Past Revisited
2025 Aug 29
“Renato and Letty kept the fire burning for country and people, fueled by their abiding love for each other and the cause they both pursued with single-minded devotion. In this sense, Renato and Letty may well be considered among the principal characters in one long epic love poem about the birthing of a free and caring society, still unfinished to this day.”

Dr. Rosalinda Pineda-Ofreneo
biographer, at the Pasts Revisited exhibit opening, Yuchengco Museum,
11 June 2026
“Yes, third time [sila/Inang Laya] pumunta at kumanta sa rally sa Dasmarinas town plaza, sa parish church sa our Lady of Perpetual Help sa Dasmariñas Bagong Bayan and sa martsa rali ng mga maralitang lunsod from Dasmariñas to Bacoor na hinarang sumama at di sya [Karina Constantino-David] umalis hanggang kinabukasan.”

Ian Yaun
March 19, 2024
“Frequented the area in the early ’80s because of Popular Bookstore (small door, beside the gate of Mapua High School), the only one that carried engineering books required for our course. It was still Martial Law… One buys … dangerous reading materials afraid of the Secret Marshals who were then infamous for salvaging (tokhang in the time of tatay digong) petty criminals and activists. Across Mapua High then was a parking lot of mini buses – now the Manila Grand Opera.”

Melvin Purzuelo
Iloilo environmentalist, commenting on the foundation’s history article in BusinessMirror,
“Cycling through the fabled history of an opera house, now a hotel,” June 2024.
“Mabuhay ka RC. Patuloy namin ikaw inaalala at ipinagdadasal sa lakbay mo ngayon. We will continue our conversations with family, even while you have left us. You will forever live in our hearts and we celebrate your life fully!”

Loretta Ann Rosales
Former member, House of Representatives
and former chair of the Commission on Human Rights
"Thank you for having us ... We truly enjoyed ourselves. The exhibit was very inspiring, beautifully presented and so insightful. We were all so impressed. Hope we can use some of the material in our Women’s Museum. ❤️"

Mayor Joy Belmonte
Quezon City Governor, On her visit at Letizia: A Life in Letters Exhibit
2025 July 30
“Thank you very much, Constantino Foundation! It was a lovely afternoon spent learning about history, poetry, art, climate change, street names, the bicycles in revolution, kickass heroines, and much more! Renato Redentor Constantino’s talk and Renato Senior’s book A Past Revisited really got under my skin. Maraming salamat!”

Gege Cruz Sugue
Flips Flipping Books book club, 12 August 2024
“At a low point in my life, I received a note from Letizia Constantino, unsolicited advice that encouraged me to keep writing. I never got to thank her personally for that pat on the back; this column is belated gratitude.”

Ambeth R. Ocampo
Historian, An excerpt from his column in Philippine Daily Inquirer
"Letizia Roxas Constantino, historian", 2025 June 06
“Good read. At aliw. Ito ang kahapon na masarap balikan!”

Cherylle Lara Raguini
Subic civic leader, commenting on the foundation essay in ABS-CBN,
“Street names and the persistence of memory,” June 2024

Spotlight

The Foundation

Our Partners

Teacher Support

Spotlight

The Foundation

Our Partners

Teacher Support

Pasts Revisited

The historian Renato Constantino was ahead of his time. Around 30 years ago he was already calling for the kind of thinking that is accepted today as necessary wisdom. #PioneerIntellectual #APastRevisited

Events

Videos

Stories

“One of the most towering texts of nationalist historiography — co-authored by Letizia Constantino, whose voice carried the struggle for true independence into classrooms and beyond.”

"... A Past Revisited sparked a different kind of revolution, one that urged Filipinos to view history through our own eyes and experiences. Thank you very much to our dear friend, ABS-CBN’s Karmina Constantino, a resident of San Juan, for inviting me to be part of this historic occasion."

“Taos pusong pagpapasalamat ng angkang Orosa for your inclusion of our Beloved Maria Y. Orosa in this PUP mural. Renato Redentor Constantino, we are ever grateful for this honor and recognition. Our forebears knew each other. Mine spoke highly of the Constantinos!”​

“Mabuhay ka RC. Patuloy namin ikaw inaalala at ipinagdadasal sa lakbay mo ngayon. We will continue our conversations with family, even while you have left us. You will forever live in our hearts and we celebrate your life fully!”

"Thank you for having us ... We truly enjoyed ourselves. The exhibit was very inspiring, beautifully presented and so insightful. We were all so impressed. Hope we can use some of the material in our Women’s Museum. ❤️"

“At a low point in my life, I received a note from Letizia Constantino, unsolicited advice that encouraged me to keep writing. I never got to thank her personally for that pat on the back; this column is belated gratitude.”

“Good read. At aliw. Ito ang kahapon na masarap balikan!”

“Taos pusong pagpapasalamat ng angkang Orosa for your inclusion of our Beloved Maria Y. Orosa in this PUP mural. Renato Redentor Constantino, we are ever grateful for this honor and recognition. Our forebears knew each other. Mine spoke highly of the Constantinos!”