YOU SHOULD BE ASHAMED OF YOURSELVES

YOU SHOULD BE ASHAMED OF YOURSELVES

What is the English equivalent of the Filipino expression “Mahiya naman kayo”?

Literally, it translates to “Have some shame” or “You should be ashamed of yourselves.” But if you’ve ever heard it spoken with passion—by an elder, a teacher, or a leader—it carries far more weight than just a suggestion to feel guilty. It can be a sharp moral rebuke, a call to conscience, or even a warning of consequences to come.

At times, I wonder: could it also be interpreted—at least indirectly and poetically—as “Woe to you”? In biblical terms, “woe” is more than just sorrow; it’s a pronouncement of doom or impending judgment. As in, “Woe unto you who trample on the poor, who steal from the widow, who enrich yourselves while others drown in poverty.” Doesn’t that carry the same emotional thunder?

Yes, I believe “Mahiya naman kayo” could, in certain moments, rise to that level of gravity—especially when spoken against corruption, injustice, or abuse of power. It’s not just a call for embarrassment—it’s a call for accountability.

That said, I’m reminded of a biblical promise from 2 Chronicles 7:14, which says:

“If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.”

This is not just about punishment—it’s about redemption. But here’s the catch: repentance must be sincere, and more importantly, it must lead to real change.

That brings me to what I consider the five steps of genuine moral recovery:
Remorse. Repent. Resolve. Repair. Restore.

1.   Remorse is the emotional awakening—the heart’s response when it finally sees the wrong it has committed.

2.   Repentance is the spiritual pivot—the decision to turn away from the wrongdoing.

3.   Resolve is the internal commitment—not just to stop doing wrong, but to live rightly.

4.   Repair is the active step—return what was stolen, apologize, rebuild what was destroyed.

5.   Restoration is the fruit—when justice is done, and the damage is truly undone.

Now, let’s apply that to real-world issues.
Let’s talk about corruption.

Every peso stolen from public funds is a peso taken away from classrooms, health centers, and farmers. When government officials are caught stealing and all they say is, “Let’s move on” or “Let’s not dwell on the past,” I say: Mahiya naman kayo!

It is not enough to feel ashamed—or worse, to fake shame when the cameras are rolling. There must be remorse, repentance, resolve, repair, and restoration. You don’t just admit guilt in public and then retreat to your private mansion. You return what you stole. You rebuild what you broke. You live differently.

Sometimes we hear the excuse: “Let’s just moderate our greed.” I reject that entirely. There is no such thing as tolerable corruption, just as there is no such thing as a little poison in your food. Corruption in any amount is still a betrayal of public trust.

Some say corruption is part of our “kalakalan”—a way of doing business. I say it is a way of doing wrong. And no amount of normalization will make it right.

In his 2025 State of the Nation Address, President Marcos said, “Mahiya naman kayo sa inyong kapwa Pilipino… Mahiya naman kayo sa mga kabahayan nating naanod o nalubog sa pagbaha.”
(Shame on you toward your fellow Filipinos… Shame on you for the homes swept away by floods.)

That wasn’t just rhetoric. That was a moral rebuke—a condemnation of the greed, neglect, and impunity that allow such tragedies to happen repeatedly.

So today, I repeat the call:
You should be ashamed of yourselves.

Not out of cruelty, not to humiliate, but to awaken. Because shame, when it is honest, can be the first step to real transformation. But we must go further—beyond shame, into action.

And perhaps, if enough of us do that—if we, as a people, learn to feel remorse, to repent, to resolve, to repair and restore—then maybe, just maybe, healing shall come upon our land.

Let us not wait for “woe” to come. Let us choose to change—while there is still time.

Ramon Ike V. Seneres, www.facebook.com/ike.seneres
iseneres@yahoo.com, 09088877282, senseneres.blogspot.com

09-30-2025