Patrick Azanza Elected Governor of Catanduanes After Grassroots Campaign

Patrick Alain Azanza, 56, didn’t set out to be a politician.

A former student activist jailed during the Marcos dictatorship, Azanza later built a career in education, public service, and international consultancy. He served as Vice Chancellor at UP Los Baños, Chief of Staff to former UP President Emil Javier, and eventually returned home to lead Catanduanes State University (CatSU) as its president.

During his three-year term at CatSU, he oversaw the construction of 17 buildings, initiated the country’s first university solar farm, purchased buses through institutional savings, and regularized 643 contractual workers. His efforts won widespread trust—higher even than the local bishop. And soon, whispers grew.

“I really had no plans to enter politics,” Azanza said. “Pero ang sabi nila, ‘Kung hindi ikaw, sino pa? Ikaw lang ang kayang lumaban sa kanila.’”

A Campaign Powered by People

Running against an entrenched political family with nearly two decades of influence, Azanza had neither political machinery nor deep campaign coffers. Instead, he relied on trust, community support, and a network of committed volunteers.

“Wala akong pera, wala akong makinarya, pero may tiwala ako sa mga tao,” he said.

His grassroots campaign mobilized some 700 young volunteers and more than 100 senior citizens across the province. In many barangays, elders opened their homes to student campaigners. Messages were distributed in the form of komiks—colorful, accessible, and easy to share.

Rather than engage in online mudslinging, Azanza countered disinformation with transparency: publishing financial certifications, audit reports, and detailed explanations of his policies.

“Pinapakita ko lang ang totoo,” he said. “Hindi ako nakipag-away online. Hinayaan ko ang taumbayan ang magpaliwanag para sa akin.”

He also drew a hard line against vote-buying. “Kung ipamulat mo ang katotohanan, maniniwala at lalaban ang tao.”

Supporters lent their vehicles, posted tarpaulins from their homes, and spoke to neighbors face-to-face. Though he won by a slim margin, his victory proved that a values-driven, people-first campaign could still beat the odds.

What He Plans to Do

Azanza’s agenda for Catanduanes is ambitious, targeting systemic issues in local governance, economy, infrastructure, and health care.

Opening the Island to Business

One of his first priorities is opening the island to new business ventures—something he claims was stifled under previous administrations.

“Maraming gustong mag-negosyo dito sa Catanduanes, pero noon, hindi sila makapasok. Dahil lang hindi kaalyado,” he said.

He wants to streamline business permits, increase transparency, and welcome investors of all sizes—especially in fuel, trade, and shipping. His goal: to reduce costs and improve services through healthy market competition.

“Dapat bukas ang pinto sa lahat. Hindi lang sa kakilala. Kung may kompetisyon, bababa ang presyo. Kung may pagpipilian ang tao, gaganda ang serbisyo.”

Breaking Political Monopolies

Azanza is also confronting long-standing monopolies in key sectors. Although Catanduanes is the abaca capital of the Philippines, many farmers remain impoverished.

“Kapag ang bumibili ng abaca ay parehong tao rin na nasa kapangyarihan, paano ka aasenso? Conflict of interest ‘yan,” he said.

He plans to establish provincial buying stations and support farmer cooperatives to ensure fairer pricing. He’s also working to bring in alternative fuel suppliers and promote competition in sea transport—currently dominated by a single operator.

The Friendship Bridge Vision

Azanza aims to revive the shelved “Friendship Bridge” project between Catanduanes and Caramoan in Camarines Sur. Though already approved by NEDA, the bridge has languished without political momentum.

“Hindi ito drawing. May pondo na ito. Ang kulang: political will,” he said.

He believes the bridge could cut travel time from Legazpi to Caramoan from three hours to just 30 minutes—boosting tourism, improving logistics, and strengthening disaster response.

“Bakit hindi tayo mag-isip bilang rehiyon? Hindi lang isla. Hindi lang probinsya. Mas malawak ang pwedeng marating kung magtutulungan ang Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, at Catanduanes.”

Putting Health First

Azanza is turning his June 8 oath-taking ceremony in the remote barangay of San Miguel, Catanduanes into more than just a formal event. Instead of a traditional celebration, he will hold a medical caravan as a statement of his commitment to public service and his campaign promise to prioritize healthcare.

“Ayokong magsaya habang may maysakit,” Azanza said. “This will show that right from day one, the government is for the people.”

The caravan will provide free checkups, eyeglasses, dental services, wheelchairs, and maintenance medicines like losartan and metformin to those in the far-flung community. This outreach is just the beginning of his plans to improve health access across Catanduanes.

Beyond the caravan, Azanza plans to deploy mobile clinics and hold annual health drives in all barangays, especially targeting the elderly and underserved areas.

“Kapag malusog ang tao, makakatrabaho sila. Kapag may sakit, hihinto ang lahat. Kaya dapat mauna ang kalusugan,” he explained.

Advice to Fellow Academics

Azanza’s move from university leadership to provincial governance has not been without challenges. But he says he entered politics only because people demanded it—and he urges fellow academics to think carefully before doing the same.

“Huwag kayong papasok sa pulitika kung hindi kailangan. Pero kung papasok kayo, seryosohin n’yo. Maging totoo. Makinig. Makihalubilo.”

“Hindi ka mananalo kung malayo ka sa masa. Sila ang karamihan, at sila rin ang pinaka-napapabayaan. Kapag naniniwala sila sa laban mo, ipaglalaban ka rin nila.”

His guiding principle is clear: “Never above you. Never below you. Always beside you.”

For Azanza, governance isn’t about power or perks—it’s about walking with the people, not ahead of them.