Jan Vincent Lanuza, News, Communication Management Office
The Polytechnic University of the Philippines - College of Social Sciences and Development (PUP-CSSD), together with the Samahan ng mga Mag-aaral ng Kasaysayan (SMK), the official student organization of the Department of History, in collaboration with the Constantino Foundation, launched the 50th Anniversary edition of “The Philippines: A Past Revisited” at the Bulwagang Balagtas, PUP Sta. Mesa Campus, on September 5.
Renato Redentor “Red” Constantino, Managing Director at Constantino Foundation and grandson of the book’s authors, renowned Filipino historians Renato R. Constantino Sr. and Letizia R. Constantino hopes that this event generates a huge love of history to the participants.
“Mahalin natin ang kasaysayan para matuklasan natin kung bakit ganito ang mga problema natin sa kasalukuyan at kapag natuklas natin, makita natin ang sarili natin sa solusyon para sa kinabukasan. Marami sa mga problema natin, may pinagmulan iyan. Alamin natin.” Constantino told the audience.
(Let us love history so we can discover why we face the problems we have today. And when we uncover these, we will see ourselves as part of the solution for the future. Many of our problems have roots—we must know them.)
In an interview, Constantino stressed that learning and understanding the past is essential to better grasp the present and to help Filipinos move forward, noting that “Philippine history intersects with a lot of contemporary problems.”
Alongside PUP’s Assoc. Prof. Jacinto R. Valila and Inst. Gregorio R. Caliguia III, as well as Assoc. Prof. Bernard M. Karganilla of UP Diliman, the speakers shared individual insights about the book, emphasizing the need for participants to always probe deeper into history to better understand the root cause of current social issues.
“Ganiyan ang kasaysayan. Basahin mo nang maigi at basahin mo ulit, mas marami pa kayong matutuklasan,” Constantino added.
(That’s how history is. Read it carefully and then read it again—you will always discover more.)
An alumnus of the Sintang Paaralan, he noted that this event was a small part of what he hopes to be a long-term effort towards to give back to the University.
“Sa akin ito ang pinakamahalagang eskwela sa buong bansa and this is the University that really matters. Tungkulin ko ay hindi unique sa akin, tungkulin dapat ito ng lahat ng alumni ng PUP. This is how the nation gets better. When PUP gets better, then it has a lot to teach the country as well.”
(For me, this is the most important school in the whole country, and this is the University that really matters. My duty is not unique to me—it should be the duty of all PUP alumni. This is how the nation gets better. When PUP gets better, it has a lot to teach the country as well.)
The event was part of the Department’s annual Research Colloquium, held from September 5 to 6, where History students and faculty presented and discussed their research to foster knowledge-sharing and critical feedback.
(Note: Grammar check and English translation generated by AI.)
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