Luisa Lloren Cuaresma

Luisa "Banti" Lloren Cuaresma (born January 18, 1955) is a Filipina politician who served as the representative of the lone district of Nueva Vizcaya from 2016 to 2025. Previously, she served as governor of Nueva Vizcaya from 2004 until 2013 and vice-governor from 1998 until 2004. She is the province's fourth female governor.

Early life Cuaresma, a pharmacist by profession, was married to Bambang Mayor Benjamin Cuaresma, who was abducted and assassinated by the New People's Army on the eve of the 1988 local elections.

Political career After her husband's murder, Cuaresma ran for mayor in the 1988 election and won, serving the three-term limit until 1998. Afterwards, she was elected vice governor for two terms before becoming the fifth woman to become governor of Nueva Vizcaya in 2004. She served in that post until 2013, when she made an unsuccessful bid to run for the lone district of Nueva Vizcaya in the 16th Congress. She was finally elected to the 17th Congress in 2016 and was reelected in 2019 and 2022. She ran for governor in the 2025 Philippine general election, but lost to the incumbent, Jose Gambito.

Cuaresma was a critic of large-scale mining operations in the province such as the Didipio mine operated by the Australian mining firm OceanaGold in the town of Kasibu. In 2008, she and other officials of the provincial government were sued for blocking the mine's operations.

As a congresswoman, Cuaresma co-signed the impeachment complaint against Vice President Sara Duterte on February 5, 2025.

Personal life Cuaresma has four children, the eldest of whom, Benjamin III, has served as mayor of Bambang.

Electoral history Election Year Position Party Votes for Cuaresma Result Total % . Swing 1988 Mayor Lakas 6,187 48.62% 1st N/A 1992 LDP 7,764 57.38% 1st +9.12% 1995 Lakas–CMD 12,562 100.00% 1st +42.62% 1998 Vice Governor LAMMP 64,444 51.45% 1st N/A 2001 LDP 73,609 62.82% 1st +11.37% 2004 Governor LDP 56,008 39.62% 1st N/A 2007 Nacionalista 83,643 57.60% 1st +17.98% 2010 Nacionalista 108,182 65.97% 1st +8.37% 2013 Representative UNA 51,313 39.33% 2nd N/A 2016 UNA 78,125 45.77% 1st +6.44% 2019 NUP 114,338 56.08% 1st +10.31% 2022 Lakas–CMD 165,360 72.25% 1st +16.17% 2025 Governor UNA 82,192 33.48% 2nd N/A