Teodoro Agoncillo

Teodoro Agoncillo
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Teodoro Andal Agoncillo
Born Teodoro Andal Agoncillo
November 9, 1912
Lemery, Batangas, Philippine Islands
Died January 14, 1985 (aged 72)
Nationality Filipino
Alma mater University of the Philippines Manila
Occupation Historian
Awards National Scientist of the Philippines
Teodoro Andal Agoncillo (November 9, 1912 – January 14, 1985) was a prominent 20th-
century Filipino historian. He and his contemporary Renato Constantino were among the first Filipino
historians renowned for promoting a distinctly nationalist point of view of Filipino history (nationalist
historiography). He was also an essayist and a poet.
Agoncillo is related to Don Felipe Agoncillo, the Filipino diplomat who represented the Philippines in
the negotiations that led to the Treaty of Paris (1898), and Dona Marcela Agoncillo, one of the
principal seamstress of the Philippine flag.
Contents
 1Early life
 2Accolades
 3Controversy
 4Works
 5References
Early life[edit]
Born in Lemery, Batangas to Pedro Agoncillo and Feliza Andal, both from landed families in
Batangas, Agoncillo obtained a bachelor's degree in philosophy from the University of the
Philippines in Manila, in 1934, and a master's degree in the arts from the same university the
following year. He earned his living as a linguistic assistant at the Institute of National Language and
as an instructor at the Far Eastern University and the Manuel L. Quezon University. In 1956, he
published his seminal work, Revolt of the Masses: The Story of Bonifacio and the Katipunan, a
history of the 1896 Katipunan-led revolt against Spanish rule and its leader, Andres Bonifacio. He
garnered acclaim for this book, as well as criticisms from more conservative historians discomfited
by the work's nationalist bent.
In 1958, Agoncillo was invited to join the faculty of the Department of History of his alma mater, the
University of the Philippines. He remained with the university until his retirement in 1977, chairing the
Department of History from 1963 to 1969. After retiring from UP, Agoncillo taught Filipino history as
a visiting professor at the International Christian University in Mitaka, Tokyo, Japan, for one year
from 1977 to 1978. Philippine President Diosdado Macapagal named Agoncillo as a member of
the National Historical Institute in 1963. He served in this capacity until his death in 1985. Agoncillo
was chair of the History Department in the University of the Philippines at the same time period that
his cousin, General Abelardo Andal, served as Commander (Chair) of the Reserve Officers' Training
Corps of the same university.
Accolades[edit]
He was named National Scientist of the Philippines in 1985 for his distinguished contributions in the
field of history. Agoncillo was also among the few academics who held the rank of University
Professor, an academic rank given to outstanding faculty members with specialization in more than
one of the traditional academic domains (Science & Technology; Social Sciences; and Arts &
Humanities), at the University of the Philippines Diliman.
Controversy[edit]
Despite Agoncillo's controversial tone and for his perceived leftist bent, his book, History of the
Filipino People, first published in 1960, remains a popular standard textbook in many Filipino
universities, as are many of Agoncillo's other works. Gregorio Zaide, Teodoro Agoncillo, Reynaldo
Ileto and Renato Constantino stand as the most prominent 20th-century Filipino historians to emerge
during the post-war period. However, opponents of Agoncillo contend that Agoncillo's works suffer
from uneven scholarship throughout, especially with his use (or especially, non-use) of reliable
historical sources, even when his opponents could not offer solid rebuttals.[citation needed]
Works[edit]
 Ang Kasaysayan ng Pilipinas (with Gregorio F. Zaide, 1941)
 Ang Maikling Kuwentong Tagalog: 1886-1948 (1949, 1965, 1970)
 The Revolt of the Masses: The Story of Bonifacio and the Katipunan (mainly a biography
of Andres Bonifacio, 1956)
 Malolos: The Crisis of the Republic (sequel to Revolt of the Masses which discusses the events
from Biak-na-Bato to the end of the Philippine–American War, 1960)
 History of the Filipino People (eight editions: 1960, 1967, 1970, 1973, 1977, 1984, 1986, 1990)
 The Writings and Trial of Andres Bonifacio (1963)
 The Fateful Years: Japan's Adventure in the Philippines (Philippine history during World War II,
two volumes, 1965)
 A Short History of the Philippines (1969)
 Filipino Nationalism: 1872-1970 (1974)
 Introduction to Filipino History (1974)
 Sa Isang Madilim: Si Balagtas at ang Kanyang Panahon (1974)
 Ang Pilipinas at ang mga Pilipino: Noon at Ngayon (1980)
 The Burden of Proof: The Vargas-Laurel Collaboration Case (1984)
References[edit]
 Filipinos in History: Volume maximum\
, National Historical Institute (Manila, 1996), pp. 6–7.
 Talking History: Conversations with T Agoncillo, Ambeth R. Ocampo, De La Salle University

Press, 1995
 Teodoro A. Agoncillo at Official Gazette of the Republic of the Philippines
Teodoro A. Agoncillo > Quotes
Teodoro A. Agoncillo quotes Showing 1-30 of 34

“You see, this is one big defect of many people... They see nothing good in people they don't like. And
this is dangerous.”
― Teodoro A. Agoncillo, Talking History: Conversations with Teodoro A. Agoncillo
10 likes
Like
“History deals with the past, not with the future. We use history to avoid the mistakes of the past, not
to recreate the very same events. You cannot.”
8 likes
Like
“It's stupidity to continue using a method which is proven to be useless [and] fruitless. It's a waste of
manpower.”
7 likes
Like
“There is a great similarity between legal evidence and historical evidence. The only difference lies in
the fact that in legal evidence it is the judge who determines whether the account of a witness is
acceptable or not... The historian is prosecuting attorney and defense attorney and the judge all
rolled into one, and he is the narrator and the interpreter.”
5 likes
Like
“No matter how good a President you are, if the historian is hostile to you, he will emphasize your
errors and break down your merits... without departing from the facts.”
5 likes
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“I am not stamped by the majority. The herd may go anywhere I will not go with them.”
4 likes
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“What history is not biased? Show me a historian, a real historian who is not biased!...History is
never objective.”
4 likes
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“The role of the Filipino historian must be the role of all historians. There is, of course, [Filipino
history], but as rule, the role of the historian is to tell the truth-- in so far as documents are
concerned.”
3 likes
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“They know that Marcos will not give in, so why continue? The only thing that [people have to do] is
not pay taxes. Wher will the government get money? Nanghihinayang ako sa life na nawala, because
I know Marcos will not give in.”
3 likes
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“We always depend on the government to do this and that for us. No government can do that. Always
it is with the cooperation of the people. The people must cooperate with the government. The
government will think of ways to improve the welfare of the people, but the people will have to help
themselves.”
3 likes
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“Maganda ang kastila. It is beautiful, lalo pa kung nagmumura.”

3 likes
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“That is why I'm not in favor of the UP today which is too big, because the standard goes down. The
reason is that the bigger a University becomes, the bigger the problems regarding the faculty.”
3 likes
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“The attitude of a student in history should be do not accept anything until proven otherwise. Doubt
everything including your parentage! Including your parentage!”
3 likes
Like
“Politeness is good only in social relations, because to be polite in literary or academic [matters]
would be to be dishonest. Ipinasa mo out of politeness? Our of kwan to the father or...No!”
2 likes
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“In the time of writing you have to forget the present, if you can do that. Try to live in the period you
are writing.”
2 likes
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“History is written by every generation. Every generation writes its own history using the same
sources. The interpretations vary according to time.”
2 likes
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“Halimbawa ako, you are discussing two sides of a question and your sympathy lies with one. Sabi
ko, makikita mo ang bias is towards the other, pero sa akin it's alright. Ang masama ang hindi mo
ibigay yung floor to the other side. In other words, instead of saying objectivity, impartiality ang
sabihin because impartiality means that you give the other fellow a chance to be heard, hindi yung
hindi mo siya pinagbigyan.”
2 likes
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“You're not sure that you will have all the documents. That is why the conclusions in history is not
final.”
2 likes
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“Who is this historian who can say that he's telling the whole truth and nothing but the whole truth.
Nobody, because you're human.”
2 likes
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“A good historian always provides for an exit in case of fire. "Probably," "allegedly," "it is possible...”
2 likes
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“Nothing is lost to you by being polite. You can be polite and courteous without losing anything.”
2 likes
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“It is useless to think of what would have happened.”

2 likes
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“The people who criticize me are ignorant of what history is, because the very fact that the student of
history chooses what to include and what not to include in his work, is proof that history is never
objective.”
2 likes
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“A biography should be faithful to the truth. I do not believe that a biography of a man should be all
praises, it should be both [praise and criticism] because it is not bad to show the human side of a
person. You make him human by painting the defects.”
2 likes
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“History is re-creation while literature is creation.”

1 likes
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“In historical methodology, it says that the more private a communication is, the more authoritative
it is.”
1 likes
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“Maraming myths kasi. Maraming nag-teach ng history, they do not really read. They do not know of
historical methodology. They do not read books about it.”
1 likes
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“You should see my personality on every page of my book, because I am the author. The book reflects
the personality of the author. Do you expect my work to reflect the personality of another?”
1 likes
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“Everyone is a historian. Everyone is his own historian.”

1 likes
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“I said that great men had a sense of history. But when you say you have a great sense of history it
does not follow that you are great.”
“The trouble is that the Marxists in our country are ignorant of the real Marxism... They supress...
Phony Marxists they twist [data] because they have pre-conceived notions which they want to
[prove]”
1 likes
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“I do not believe in this command leadership. Dangerous doctrine 'yan ha. Because you cannot know
everything your men do.”
1 likes
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“We Filipinos are individualistic in a different way from American individualism. Our individualism
is selfish. And individualism ng Americans, iba-- iyong liberty, iyong freedom of individuals.”
1 likes
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“There are two kinds of faculty members in the UP. Those who are honored to be in the UP and those
who honor the UP. I belong to the last.”
Talking History: Conversations with Teodoro A.

Agoncillo
by
Ambeth R. Ocampo
3.97 · Rating details · 37 ratings · 5 reviews
These free-wheeling, no-holds-barred conversations pave the way towards a re-evaluation of

Agoncillo's scholarship, providing readers insight into the man's working methods, his joys and
struggles that helped shape his view of Philippine history.
Renato Constantino
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jump to navigationJump to search
Renato Constantino (March 10, 1919 – September 15, 1999) was a Filipino historian known for
being part of the leftist tradition of Philippine historiography. Apart from being a historian,
Constantino was also engaged in foreign service, working for the Philippine Mission to the United
Nations and the Department of Foreign Affairs.
He is the father of former Civil Service Commission Chairperson Karina Constantino-David and
father-in-law of University of the Philippines Diliman sociology professor emeritusRandy David.
Contents
 1Education and early career
 2Academic career
 3Works
 4External links
Education and early career[edit]

Constantino attended the University of the Philippines where he became the youngest editor of the
University's student publication, The Philippine Collegian. He wrote editorial columns criticizing
President Manuel Quezon, which earned the attention of the President by responding to the article in
one of his speeches. When the Second World War erupted, Constantino fought in Bataan and was a
member of an intelligence team spying on the Japanese. He also worked as a journalist during the
war.
At the conclusion of the war, Constantino joined the Philippine Mission to the United Nations from
1946 to 1949 as its Executive Secretary. He worked as a counselor for the Department of Foreign
Affairs from 1949 to 1951. These exposures to foreign service became the foundations of a book he
wrote about the United Nations.
Academic career[edit]
Constantino held professorial positions at the University of the Philippines (Diliman and Manila), Far
Eastern University, Adamson University, and Arellano University. He was also a visiting lecturer in
universities in London, Sweden, Japan, Germany, Malaysia and Thailand. He served as a member
of the Editorial Board of the Journal of Contemporary Asia, and Trustee of Focus on the Global
South in Bangkok.
He wrote around 30 books and numerous pamphlets and monographs. Among Constantino's well-
known books are A Past Revisited and The Continuing Past. He also wrote The Making of a
Filipino (a biography of Claro M. Recto), Neo-colonial Identity and Counter-Consciousness, and The
Nationalist Alternative. Several of his books have been translated into Japanese and The Nationalist
Alternative has a Malaysian translation.
Constantino earned various distinctions for his historical work. He received nationalism awards from
Quezon City in 1987, Manila in 1988, The Civil Liberties Union in 1988, and the University of the
Philippines Manila in 1989. Constantino was also the Manila's Diwa ng Lahi awardee in 1989. He
was conferred the Doctor of Arts and Letters (honoris causa) from the Polytechnic University of the
Philippines in 1989 and a Doctor of Laws (honoris causa) from the University of the Philippines
Diliman in 1990.
Works[edit]
 The Miseducation of the Filipino (1959)
 Recto Reader: Excerpts from the Speeches of Claro M. Recto (1965)
 Veneration Without Understanding (1969)
 The Making of a Filipino: A Story of Philippine Colonial Politics (1969)
 Dissent and Counter-consciousness (1970)
 The Philippines: A Past Revisited (with Letizia R. Constantino; 1975)
 Philippines: A Continuing Past (1978)
 History: Myths and Reality (1992)
External links[edit]
 Biography
 Profile at Bantayog ng mga Bayani

Teodoro Agoncillo

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Teodoro Agoncillo

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Teodoro Andal Agoncillo

Born Teodoro Andal Agoncillo

Lemery, Batangas, Philippine Islands

Died January 14, 1985 (aged 72)

Alma mater University of the Philippines Manila

Awards National Scientist of the Philippines

 Talking History: Conversations with T Agoncillo, Ambeth R. Ocampo, De La Salle University

Teodoro A. Agoncillo quotes Showing 1-30 of 34

“Maganda ang kastila. It is beautiful, lalo pa kung nagmumura.”

“It is useless to think of what would have happened.”

“History is re-creation while literature is creation.”

“Everyone is a historian. Everyone is his own historian.”

Talking History: Conversations with Teodoro A.

These free-wheeling, no-holds-barred conversations pave the way towards a re-evaluation of

Education and early career[edit]

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