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 brunches at their grandparents' home. What may have seemed ordinary occasions back then would, in fact, serve as foundation for the two girls who would become two of the country's most admired journalists.

Long before they stood in front of cameras and reported on the day's events, Kara David and Karmina Constantino were learning the art of storytelling, the power of perspective, and the quiet strength of public service from their grandmother, Letizia Roxas Constantino—writer, editor, and constant collaborator of noted historian Renato Constantino, her husband, with whom Letizia produced The Philippines: A Past Revisited, and The Philippines: A Continuing Past, among other titles.

Who is Letizia Constantino? 

Renato Constantino, nationalist, political analyst, and historian, may have been the more famous of the husband-and-wife team. But to relegate Letizia to a supporting role, the proverbial wind beneath a titan's wings, is a disservice to the life she led—as can be gleaned from Letizia: A Life In Letters, the family's tribute to the late matriarch for her 105th birth anniversary. Put together by Kara and Karmina together with their siblings, the immersive exhibition at the Linangan Gallery in Panay Avenue, Quezon City is a lovingly curated journey into the life of the writer and editor, wife and mother, activist and nationalist, told through the mementos she kept all her life: handwritten notes, daily schedules, letters to her grandkids, family recipes, and journal entries.

Before she became a woman who wore many hats—foremost among which was as collaborator of her husband Renato—Letizia wanted to be one thing: a concert pianist. Born in Manila in the 1920s, she dreamed of performing in front of a large audience. She practiced incessantly, perfecting pieces by some of the world's greatest. She held on to this dream even as she entered the University of the Philippines where she would meet her future husband, whom she referred to in her diaries as "a handsome, upright man of such high integrity."

She was smitten not just by Renato's looks but by his intellect. From being schoolmates, they became life partners, their encounters in UP blossoming into a full-blown love story, and their intellectual collaborations resulting into the penning of important books on Philippine history, the most popular of which is The Philippines: A Past Revisited. 

While Letizia would have made a great pianist, the general public never got the chance to listen to her play. Her musician dreams were derailed by World War II and the tumultuous political eras that followed. Together with her husband, Letizia weathered the challenges of the anti-communist witch hunts of the 1950s just as they did the political upheavals of the 1960s, the dark years under the Marcos dictatorship, and the return of the capitalist elite after EDSA.

Throughout the changing times, Letizia was never just a meek housewife. Alongside her husband, she used the power of the written word to bring about change and inspire. History books often credit Renato Constantino as a champion of nationalist thought because of his writings, but what is often overlooked is the profound influence his wife had in shaping that reputation. In her diary entries, Letizia sheds light on what that collaboration with her husband was like: "R has the gift of cutting through a forest of details to get at the core. Alas, I find too many of the trees too beguiling not to include. Another thing I liked to say about our collaboration: Without me, his book would be less good; without him, I would not produce anything."

In another diary entry, as they worked on their second book, The Continuing Past, Letizia writes, "You may be reading my words, but you are receiving his thoughts."

Letizia on the power of the written word

For Letizia, writing was a weapon, a source of empowerment, and therapy. If Kara David and Karmina Constantino look at the act of writing in the same manner, a lot of it is because of their lola's influence.

Speaking recently to SPOT, the two journos recounted a visit to Manila Zoo in their tweens, an experience that left a bad taste in their and their siblings' mouths having witnessed how heartbreakingly the animals were being treated. As the cousins were discussing the visit among themselves, Letizia chimed in and posed a challenge: "Why don't you write about it?" she told them.

As early as when they were nine, Kara and Karmina, and their brothers and sisters, wrote letters to the editors of newspapers, sharing their observations of Manila Zoo, lamenting the state of the animals there. "She empowered us to realize that our view of things mattered. Even if the views were coming from nine-year-old kids," says Karmina.

"It was a subtle way of telling us that our words mattered. Our words are powerful," adds Kara. "'Di ba usually, in Filipino families, ang mga usapan ng matatanda, hindi dapat naririnig ng mga bata? Walang ganoon dito. Lumaki kami na pwede naming sabihin kung ano iyong nasa isip namin, without fear na maja-judge kami."

"We were raised to respect authority, but also to never be afraid to question it," says Karmina. 

While the two did grow up under the guidance of activists and progressives—Kara is the daughter of Randy David and Inang Laya's Karina Constantino David, and Karmina is the daughter of RC Constantino—that early message of empowerment from lola, alongside seeing how Letizia used her words to enact change, helped Kara find her voice and give her the tools to amplify others'. As for Karmina, it instilled in her the confidence to ask the tough but necessary questions and demand accountability. Today, the two are known for these gifts, which the public get to see displayed often— in shows like I-Witness and Pinas Sarap for Kara, and Dateline Philippines over at ANC for Karmina.  

Letizia's many pursuits

"There was nothing ordinary about anything that she did. Everything she did, she did with so much passion, so much love, and thought. She gave 101% of herself. And it wasn’t mediocre—because she herself was not,” says Constantino proudly, tears welling in her eyes. 

Letizia led a vibrant life. Her days were not spent purely mulling over the state of the country; she enriched them with a plethora of hobbies and social activities. She may not have become the concert pianist of her dreams, but she played for friends and family whom she invited to dinners slash mini concerts. She was a graceful dancer, and taught all her grandchildren the ways of the dance floor. She tended to her gardens and loved bonsais. She read, played Solitaire, wrote for herself, for her kids, and for her grandkids. 

"Visitors to the exhibit might also think she had many hobbies, but if they read the panels closely, they will realize Letizia did everything with a purpose," writes Red Constantino, another apo. "Ballroom dancing, daily piano practice sessions covering Chopin, Liszt, and Rachmaninoff, regular active participation in her neighborhood exercise club, playing solitaire using two decks of cards—it all gave her great joy, certainly, but they were also all meant to keep her mind sharp. Just like the daily notes and clippings she maintained as she pored through, every morning, anywhere from 8 to 12 newspapers and magazines a day, which she mined for stories, facts, angles, and delightful opportunities to share with her growing family." 

"One time we were in the car together and she told the driver to stop the car because we saw a tree. We stepped out of the car and just looked at the tree for a good 10 minutes," Karmina recounts to Spot. "That's who she was, she saw the beauty in the ordinary."

"She found joy in everything. She found beauty in everything. The lens she looks through is not mundane. Iba yung tingin niya sa mga bagay," Kara recalls. 

The Legacy of Letizia Constantino

Letizia's unique, rose-tinted-but-grounded-in-reality viewpoint can be seen as clear as day when you walk through Letizia: A Life In Letters.

In curating this exhibit, Kara, Karmina and their siblings sifted through over 700 letters and notes, never-ending piles of memory boxes, and shelves of photo albums, all carefully preserved by Letizia herself—a chronicler 'til the very end. Walking through the exhibit, listening to Kara and Karmina's recollections about their childhood, and examining the keepsakes on display can feel a little bit too personal, like peering through the blinds and spying on the family next door. But the two women find nothing wrong in sharing private glimpses into their lives.

"Sa pamilya namin malawak ang konsepto ng pamilya. Hindi lang iyong mga kadugo mo ang pamilya mo, kailangan kasama sa pamilya mo yung buong bayan," says Kara. 

The exhibit, at its heart, goes beyond memorializing. It’s a reflection of values passed down—not through rules or rhetoric, but through lived example.

"I think the very backbone of this exhibit is about remembering. It's to learn from the past and make history relevant," says Karmina, stating what is the very advocacy of her grandparents: to make use of our knowledge of history in navigating the present and future. 

Letizia lived with reverence for words, memory, and people, which she fostered within her family. She did this not by sitting them down for lectures or making grand speeches about public service. She inspired by doing. Through simple and consistent acts of keeping every memento, chronicling the everyday, and using her words to enact change, she raised her granddaughters with a mission to tell the truth, hold power accountable, and empower people to find their voice. 

Today, both Kara and Karmina have each made a name doing exactly those things. They're living proof of what it means to grow up with their lola's standard of excellence and unique vision of the world. Hochi and Minh may have grown up, and Letizia may have passed, but every time Kara tells the story of a community that's touched her heart, or each time Karmina sits across from a traditional politician and refuses to flinch, Letizia lives on. 

Visit Letizia: A Life in Letters at Linangan Gallery, Constantino Foundation, 38 Panay Avenue, Quezon City from now until May 30, Mondays to Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., except holidays. For more information, visit the Constantino Foundation website. 

Photos by Majoy Siason.

Also read:  'KC After Hours' Shows Karmina Constantino in A New Light

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