Cuaresma, who is running under the Laban ng Demokratikong Pilipino (LDP), will be contending the gubernatorial post possibly against provincial board members Patricio Dumlao Jr. (Lakas-CMD) or Leonardo Perez Jr. (NPC).
Dumlao is the son of former governors Patricio Sr. and Natalia Dumlao, while Perez is the son of former congressman, senator and Commission on Elections chairman Leonardo Perez Sr.
Both families have ruled this northeastern Luzon province for almost three decades.
The 48-year-old Cuaresma has been dubbed as the local version of former President Corazon Aquino because of the gruesome manner by which both their husbands were killed in the 1980s.
Cuaresma’s husband, Benjamin, was abducted and tortured to death by the New People’s Army (NPA) in 1986. He served as mayor of Bambang town.
Cuaresma was a three-term mayor of this vote-rich capital town until she was elected vice governor in 1998.
If elected, Cuaresma will be the fourth woman to become Nueva Vizcaya governor, joining the ranks of Corazon Espino, Natalia Dumlao and Ruth Padilla (who served as officer-in-charge during the early days of the Aquino administration).
But Cuaresma is expected to face formidable challenges from the Dumlaos and Perezes, who both still command loyal following among Novo Vizcayanos.
Incumbent Gov. Rodolfo Ag-bayani, a three-termer, is vying for congressman against former police general Thompson Lan-tion, spokesman of the Department of Transportation and Communications.
Both Agbayani and Lantion hail from this capital town. Political observers here expect a tight congressional race.
The province’s lone congressional district, with more than 170,000 registered voters, is currently represented by House Minority Leader Carlos Padilla, who is reportedly eyeing a Senate seat in next year’s synchronized local and national elections.