Ex-university president ends Cuas’ reign in Catanduanes

Former Catanduanes State University president Patrick Alain Azanza poses for a photo with his supporters on May 3, 2025. — Photo from Patrick Azanza/Facebook

LEGAZPI CITY, ALBAY, Philippines — For years, Patrick Alain Azanza has been known in his native Catanduanes as an educator and president of the Catanduanes State University (Catsu).

On Tuesday, however, Azanza was proclaimed winner in the gubernatorial race, ending the nearly two decades of political control by one of the province’s most prominent families.

Azanza, 56, won by a razor-thin margin, securing 76,169 votes against incumbent Vice Gov. Peter “Boss Te” Cua, who earned 75,807.

The victory was more than just a political shift, it was a quiet revolution powered by ordinary citizens, volunteers and a man who had never held elective office before.

“I had no machinery. It was the people who strategized, who moved, who believed,” Azanza told the Inquirer in a telephone interview on Wednesday.

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Azanza’s win marks the end of an era for the powerful Cua family, that had long held key political positions in the province.

Outgoing Gov. Joseph Cua, Peter’s brother, lost his mayoral bid in the capital Virac, while Joseph’s son, Chino, also failed to win a seat in the municipal council.

Without deep pockets or political clan behind him, Azanza leaned on his years of service in education and a deep connection with the grassroots.

He had served as president of Catsu for three and a half years, earning the trust of faculty, students and locals.

“I was encouraged to run by business leaders, by community groups, by people who just wanted real change,” he said.

Azanza distributed his platform in the form of comic book-style pamphlets to make his message accessible and engaging, especially to younger and less literate voters.

“It clicked,” he said. “People understood what I stood for.”

Azanza also harnessed the power of social media, reaching voters without spending heavily.

“I proved that someone without much money, who doesn’t engage in vote-buying, can defeat a powerful politician,” he said.

For Azanza, his victory is not just personal—it’s symbolic.

“My winning is the people’s declaration of independence. This is our fresh start,” he stressed. /cb