Senate Minority Floor Leader Alan Peter Cayetano stressed in his Facebook live that genuine reform in the country can only begin with repentance, warning that corruption and moral decay will persist unless Filipinos confront their own wrongdoing.

“Importante repentance, wala po talagang pagbabago pag walang repentance. And pag mag-repent ka, pwede ka mag-repent para sa buong grupo, for the whole nation. Walang mawawala po, walang masama,” Cayetano said.

The senator emphasized that repentance should not be seen as a weakness but as a necessary step toward national healing.

Cayetano noted that while individuals may seek change, collective repentance as a people is crucial to dismantling systemic problems.

Cayetano said repentance does not excuse wrongdoing, but it allows individuals and institutions to confront past mistakes honestly.

“In fact, mabuti pag ang leaders natin ay humingi ng pasensya at nagsabing nagkamali kami, Lord. We’ve done evil, forgive us at may change,” he added.

He pointed out that widespread issues such as vote buying, dishonesty, and corruption have long been tolerated, eroding the nation’s moral standards.

“Hindi ako nagfi-fingerpoint. As a people, we’re all guilty—mula vote buying, cheating, stealing, hanggang lying,” Marcos said.

The senator’s remarks came as government probes into anomalous infrastructure projects intensify, reigniting debates on systemic corruption and accountability.