Shameless

 

                                             (image: youtube.com)

Waya nay kasipog.

In his fourth State of the Nation Address (SONA) on Monday, July 28, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. delivered a scathing rebuke to corrupt government officials, calling on them to feel shame for the rampant failure of flood control projects, according to Jean Mangaluz of The Philippine Star.

The President recounted personally inspecting the sites and witnessing firsthand how these projects failed to withstand the impacts of tropical cyclones Crising, Dante, and Emong, as well as the torrential rains brought by the southwest monsoon.

“Huwag na po tayong magkunwari. Alam naman ng buong madla na nagkaka-racket sa mga proyekto. Mga kickback, mga initiative, errata, SOP (standard operating procedure), for the boys,” Marcos declared.

(Let’s not play pretend. The public knows there are shady dealings in these projects — the kickbacks, the so-called initiatives, the errata, the SOPs for the boys.)

He then issued a strong condemnation: “Kaya sa mga nakikipagsabwatan upang kunin ang pondo ng bayan at nakawin ang kinabukasan ng ating mga mamamayan, mahiya naman kayo sa inyong kapwa Pilipino!”

(So, for those who conspire to seize public funds and rob our people of their future — you should be ashamed of yourselves!)

This statement (Mahiya naman kayo) received enthusiastic applause from the attendees of the SONA, while it stirred a range of reactions across social media platforms. Some commended the President for directly acknowledging that there are individuals who personally benefited from government projects. Others criticized the move, viewing it as self-incriminating, given his position as the country's highest official. Meanwhile, several viewers chose to remain silent, reflecting on whether the statement was a bold act of transparency or something better left unspoken.

A political leader is accountable to the people and is expected to ensure that public resources are used properly by monitoring fund movements, investigating abuses, and sanctioning those found guilty. This responsibility reflects the Agency Theory, which highlights the need for mechanisms to align the actions of public officials (agents) with the interests of citizens (principals) (Jensen & Meckling, 1976).

It also draws from the Rule of Law, which requires that no one is above the law, including public officials (Raz, 1979). In the context of governance, New Public Management (NPM) promotes transparency and accountability through performance-based oversight and citizen-centered service (Hood, 1991), reinforcing the leader’s duty to act on abuses of power.

Thus, merely singling out individuals who benefit from corruption may come across as lip service if not backed by concrete action. To strengthen credibility, it is essential for the leader to align rhetoric with evidence and lived realities, especially since the SONA serves as a direct and powerful channel of communication with the Filipino people.

Sino ang mahiya? These calloused politicians have grown so accustomed to corruption that kickbacks and SOPs have become routine—like water in a lake. There is no fear, no guilt, especially when their behavior is normalized and tolerated within the system for the sake of political convenience. So, who is left to feel ashamed, when everyone is busy protecting their so-called reputations through personal and professional alliances, all to preserve their grip on power?

Shame has no place among corrupt officials who have long traded conscience for influence, masking theft as strategy and betrayal as leadership.

In a political landscape where corruption is normalized and shame is absent, public officials continue to thrive in a cycle of impunity, masking greed as governance and betrayal as strategy. When conscience is silenced and personal gain outweighs public service, the moral fabric of leadership unravels. True reform will only begin when shame is no longer seen as weakness but as the first sign of integrity—when those in power choose to confront their guilt, not conceal it, and when justice is no longer delayed by alliances but driven by truth.