During the time of Ferdinand Marcos as the leader of the Philippines, he had a group of people who were very close to him and helped him to stay in power. These people are known as cronies.
Think of Marcos as the captain of a ship, and his cronies are the sailors who help him steer the ship and keep it going. These cronies were people who were loyal to Marcos and helped him in different ways such as giving him money or supporting him in his policies.
The cronies of Marcos were mostly businessmen, politicians, and military officials who benefited from his regime. They were granted special privileges and given important positions in the government or private companies. These privileges were not based on their abilities or qualifications but rather on their loyalty to Marcos.
For example, some of Marcos' cronies became billionaires overnight because they were given monopolies in certain industries. They were allowed to control these industries and charge whatever prices they wanted, making them very rich.
However, while Marcos and his cronies were enjoying their wealth and power, the rest of the Filipino people were suffering. The economy was in bad shape, and there was a lot of corruption and injustice.
When Marcos was overthrown, some of his cronies were also prosecuted for their involvement in his regime. They were accused of stealing public funds, human rights violations, and other crimes.
In summary, cronies of Ferdinand Marcos were a group of people who were very close to him and helped him to stay in power. They were mostly businessmen, politicians, and military officials who benefited from his regime, while the rest of the Filipino people suffered.