Once upon a time, in a feudal kingdom called Scamalot (quite different from Camelot), the native royalty was headed by a powerful, charming, scheming, ambitious, and tyrannical couple—King Lakás and Queen Gandá. (Their names were derived from Malakás, “The Strong One,” and Magandá, “The Beautiful One”—famous characters in an old Philippine myth about Creation). They lived in Malacamcam Palace where they hosted parties and orgies for close allies called Cronies, while a ferocious army guarded them. The king had become rich by digging up gold and other treasures, or so he claimed. His queen could not squander their immense wealth fast enough, even if she bought up the world’s most expensive sandals as soon as they appeared in shop windows in foreign capitals. Their subjects, however, were getting poorer and hungrier by the day. To prevent a revolt, the couple sent these subjects abroad to work, while those who remained behind were entertained with circuses or silenced with martial law. Any similarity of this couple to people living or dead is just that, an amazing similarity. Have you come across such characters in your study of Philippine history? Discuss.
