Letizia Roxas Constantino, the late wife to nationalist historian and acclaimed journalist Renato Constantino, had often shied away from the spotlight. Despite being an esteemed writer, historian, and academic herself, Letizia had little desire to be a prominent figure in historical textbooks. When the matriarch was invited to be a guest speaker at The Philippine Booklovers in 1978 in place of her husband, she emphasized that she was at the podium “quite by accident.” “Instead of the major Constantino, you have this afternoon, the minor Constantino,” she joked.
Despite her aversion to attention, there is no denying that Letizia spent her life critically thinking about the state of the nation, championing non-colonial education, and taking on the thankless job of chronicling Philippine history as it unfolded, day by day.
Through thousands of handwritten letters, typed out speeches, and diary entries, Letizia’s grandchildren — journalists Kara David and Karmina Constantino-Torres, as well as Constantino Foundation director Red Constantino — have organized an intimate retrospective honoring the contributions their grandmother made to both her family and her country.
Titled “Letizia: A Life in Letters,” the exhibition aims to spotlight Letizia’s impact as well as the historical aspect of her letters. From caring for her first newborn as the Japanese army bombed her surrounding neighborhood to writing words of guidance to her husband as he grappled with the impact of the American occupation and the Marcos regime, Constantino’s writing captures several unique moments in the country’s history.
Held at the Linangan Gallery, within the house where the Constantinos moved to in 1956 and raised their family in, the exhibition features a number of striking visuals that will leave visitors wanting more of the matriarch’s written word. Designed by acclaimed set designer Ohm David, “Letizia: A Life in Letters” presents several of Letizia’s most salient letters and notes, along with an installation of large reproductions of these letters hanging from the ceiling. As visitors take their time reading through Letizia’s work, recordings of her playing the piano and speeches given by members of the family are played in the background.
Above all else, however, the Constantino family hopes that the exhibition demonstrates their deep, unwavering love for their matriarch.
“When we lost [Letizia] in 2016, I was unfixable,” Constantino-Torres said at the official opening of the exhibition. “When I was tasked with leading this exhibit, there was a lot of hesitation on my part. How can I celebrate her life when I was still mourning her loss?”
In an emotional call with Rolling Stone Philippines, Constantino-Torres stressed the love she felt for her grandmother. “I don’t think the right words have been invented yet to completely describe what my Lola was to me,” said Constantino-Torres. “You can’t really put it into writing.”
“But what she taught me was that it is so important to show up for yourself every single day,” added Constantino-Torres. “And that’s what she did, for all her different lives. She always showed up for us. Hopefully, with this exhibit, we show up for her too and do her legacy justice.”
