TOWARDS A

PEOPLE’S
HISTORY
RENATO CONSTANTINO
A PAST REVISITED
• The importance of correct understanding of the Filipino past
in order to have the insight into the problems of the present.
• Constantino directed his attention principally to the colonial
historiography of the American period in the Philippine
history.
• History as means of liberation for the Filipino people.
COLONIAL SCHOLARSHIP
• Colonial scholarship affect the way we
think thus the need to counteract the
influence of colonial ideas and to
rectify the myths that have been
presented and accepted as reality.
• Other scholars demonstrated
nationalism by projecting the heroic
deeds of recognized heroes and
idealizing other national leaders
which to the illusion that history is
the work of heroes and great men.
COLONIAL SCHOLARSHIP
• Correcting historical misimpressions was
not pursued as part of a total effort to
remove the fetters on the Filipino mind
that had been forged by colonial
education.

SOURCES OF DISTORTION
• Clerical scholars
• Americans
• Filipino historians
THE TASK AT HAND
• The task is to advance the writing of a true Filipino history.
• The focus must be the anonymous masses of individuals on the
society generated by their collective experiences.
• Without society there can be no history and there are no
societies without man.
No Man = No History
No Man = No Society
• Human beings are the only species that has unlimited
possibilities for development.
MOTIVATORS OF HISTORY
• History is a continual occurrence.
• History is basically human activities that
builds up to become better with respect to
time.
• It is a trial and error process.
• The rich and the powerful has a better grasp
of the history.
• Everybody is taking part in making history.
THE INARTICULATE IN HISTORY
• Individuals could not make history without the people.
• Change in society is not possible without the people.
• The deeds of most people were rarely recorded due to their
inarticulacy.
• Powerful individuals made sure that history was written in
their favor.
• People regarded as heroes were made irrelevant while
others were labeled as villains.
• History should be written in generality in order to
understand society.
REDRESSING THE IMBALANCE
• Redressing means to put right a wrong or
give payment for a wrong that has been done.

Why are there historians?

• A historian is an expert in or student of
history, especially that of a particular period,
geographical region, or social phenomenon.

Importance of historians
• Redresses the imbalances
REDRESSING THE IMBALANCE
How do historians redress the imbalances in
history?
• Eliminate
• Reinterpret

Conclusion
• When intellectual decolonization is
accomplished, a historical account can be
produced which will present a fuller, more
balanced picture of reality.
LIMITATIONS AND A BEGINNING
• Obtaining a comprehensive knowledge of our
history is an arduous task.
• A historical work should present not just the side
of the Filipinos but the side of the Filipino masses.
• Filipinos search for truly Filipino solutions to
Filipino problems.
• Most people view our history as a mélange of facts
and dates, personalities and events, and an empty
preach of our national identity all without a clear
connection to our present.
REDISCOVERING THE PAST
• Rediscover means to discover again (something
forgotten or ignored).
• A people’s history must rediscover the past in
order to make it reusable.
• History must deal with the past with a view of
explaining the present.
• History must show how our nation was born.
• History should show how our society, which
emerged from drastic changes, continues to
change.
REDISCOVERING THE PAST
• When the present is illumined by a comprehension
of the past, the direction of their development
becomes easier to grasp.
• By projecting people’s aspirations, history can give
us the proper perspective that will enable us to
formulate the correct ways of handling our future.
THE UNIFYING THREAD
• The emergence of superstructures are the
totality of institutions, laws, customs and
prejudices that correspond to the economic
structure of society.
• Powerful in the Society VS Dissenting Ideas
• The various revolts that broke out in the
Philippines constituted practice which changed
not only circumstances but man itself.
THE UNIFYING THREAD
• Quantitative occurrence as localized or regional
actions led to a qualitative change; the birth of a
nation.
• Despite the tremendous obstacles that the Spanish
and American colonialism created, ever higher levels
of political and economic awareness were being
achieved in struggle.
THE MOTIVE FORCE
• The rich tradition of struggle has become a
motive force of Philippine history.
• Participation in mass actions raises the
level of consciousness of the masses.
• Since mass actions were responses
toward international development, it is
essential to sift world events to find their
correlation with local events.
THE MOTIVE FORCE
• In the history of these struggles, we find a
certain law of development which give us a
better understanding of reality which can
guide us to higher form of struggle for the
people’s cause.
• The only way a history of the Philippines can
be Filipino, is to write on the basis of the
struggle of the people, for in these struggles
the Filipino emerged.
• Filipino resistance to colonial oppression is
the unifying thread of Philippine history.
THANK YOU FOR LISTENING!