A combination of history, art, and intellectual resistance is on display at the Yuchengco Museum. Running until July 11, 2026, “Pasts Revisited: An Exhibit on a Usable History and the Romance of Renato Constantino and Letizia Roxas Constantino” highlights the decolonizing partnership of the celebrated historian couple whose writings reshaped Filipino identity.
Presented by the Constantino Foundation, the exhibit serves as a vital antidote to what the foundation’s managing director, Renato Redentor “Red” Constantino, describes as a state of “national amnesia” in a time of deep political and environmental crisis.
“Our current period will be remembered in history as a chapter of intense chaos. We are living in troubled times around the world, but also here. Our nation feels lost… We are in trouble because we are such a forgetful people,” Red warned.
“Pasts Revisited” is co-curated by Ninel Constantino, head of the UP Diliman College of Fine Arts Industrial Design program, and Yla Luna Constantino, graphic designer and illustrator.
“If this exhibition sparks curiosity, deepens understanding, or inspires reflection, then it has fulfilled its purpose,” Ninel stressed.
At the core of the showcase is the radical concept of a “usable history.” Championed by Renato and Letizia, this paradigm demands that narratives of the past be weaponized to actively shape the present and realize a sustainable, equitable future.
Dr. Rosalinda Pineda-Ofreneo noted that Letizia began her journey within the bounds of traditional patriarchal expectations but eventually emerged as an equal intellectual partner and co-author. Renato recognized her as the “lighthouse of my intellectual peregrinations.”
“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,” the biographer revealed.
The exhibition bridges historic structural critique with modern crises, notably through the collaborative project “Alas ng Bayan.” Created in partnership with the climate advocacy group 350 Pilipinas, this section elevates the biographies of five Filipino women who resisted national oppression across various junctures of history.
“Pasts Revisited” is an essential destination for students, educators, and cultural advocates looking to engage critically with Philippine historiography.
The museum is open from Monday to Saturday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Admission fees apply, with substantial discounts available for students, teachers, senior citizens, and PWDs. Group visits can be scheduled by contacting [email protected].
Visitors can also purchase Dr. Pineda-Ofreneo’s books “Renato Constantino: A Life Revisited” and “Dahil ang Bukas ay Para sa Mapagkalinga” at the YSpace Museum Shop.
