Eric Yap

Eric Go Yap (born May 11, 1979) is a Filipino politician serving as a Party-list Representative for ACT-CIS since 2019, and concurrently since January 2020, as the Legislative Caretaker of Benguet.

In this Philippine name, the middle name or maternal family name is Go and the surname or paternal family name is Yap.

The Honorable Eric Yap
Member of the Philippine House of Representatives for the ACT-CIS party-list
Incumbent
Assumed office June 30, 2019 Serving with Jocelyn Pua-Tulfo and Niña Taduran
Member of the Philippine House of Representatives for Benguet Caretaker
Incumbent
Assumed office January 20, 2020
Preceded by	Nestor Fongwan Sr.
House committee chairmanships Chair of the House Committee on Appropriations Incumbent Assumed office March 2, 2020 Preceded by Isidro Ungab Chair of the House Committee on Games and Amusements In office July 22, 2019 – March 2, 2020 Preceded by Gustavo Tambunting Succeeded by Joseph Bernos
Personal details
Born	Eric Go Yap (1979-05-11) May 11, 1979 Davao City, Philippines
Nationality	Filipino
Political party	ACT-CIS
Other political affiliations	NUP (adopted; 2019–present)[1]

Political career

House of Representatives

Representative of ACT-CIS party-list

Yap was first elected into public office in 2019,[2][3][4] together with Jocelyn Pua-Tulfo and Rowena Niña Taduran as representatives of the ACT-CIS Partylist for the 18th Congress of the Philippines. Garnering a historic vote of 2,651,987 votes, ACT-CIS Partylist was declared the number one partylist in the 2019 National Elections.[5]

Yap was one of the principal authors of House Bill No. 5477 which was signed into law as Republic Act No. 11463 by President Duterte in December 2019 which institutionalizes the Malasakit Centers—a one-stop shop for government medical and financial assistance.[6]

In July 2020, amidst the House's hearing on the franchise renewal of ABS-CBN, Yap disclosed that an emissary from the media company attempted to bribe him ₱200 million to vote in favor of the network's franchise renewal. Yap responded that his "principle and vote are not for sale". In an official statement, ABS-CBN denied Yap's allegations, saying: "We believe in the process and we have participated in the process".[7] Yap later clarified that he was not accusing ABS-CBN, explaining that he received a phone call from someone claiming to be an ABS-CBN emissary, and that he was not able to verify if the caller's claims were true.[8] On July 10, Yap was one of the 70 members of the House Committee on Legislative Franchises who voted against renewing ABS-CBN's franchise.[9]

Legislative Caretaker of Benguet

After the death of Benguet representative Nestor Fongwan Sr. on December 18, 2019, Yap was appointed as the Legislative Caretaker of the district on January 20, 2020.[10][11][12] The appointment was controversial as Yap is not from Benguet or Cordillera. If Yap becomes the permanent representative, it would be a violation of Republic Act No. 6645 which requires a special election to fill such vacancies in the House. The Sangguniang Panlalawigan of Benguet has passed a resolution asking Congress to conduct the special election.[13]

One Yap's proposed legislations for Benguet is the re-nationalization of Benguet General Hospital, which will allow better focus on the provision and improvement of the delivery of health care services and its existing facilities through appropriate funding support from the Department of Health.[14]

Committee assignments and House positions

On the commencement of the 18th congress, Yap was appointed as the chairman of the Games and Amusements Committee. On March 2, 2020, Yap was appointed as chairman of the Appropriations Committee replacing Isidro Ungab (Davao City–3rd), whom Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano accused of being part of a plot to oust him. He is the first neophyte congressman and first partylist representative to lead the Committee on Appropriations, which tackles all matters directly and principally relating to the expenditures of the national government including payment of public indebtedness, creation or abolition and classification of positions in government, and the determination of salaries, allowances and benefits of government personnel.[15]

He also serves as the Vice Chairperson of the Committee on Games and Amusements, Committee on Good Government and Accountability, Committee on Government Enterprises and Privatization and the Committee on Ways and Means. Alongside, he is a member of the Committees on Accounts; Banks and Financial Intermediaries; Energy; Flagship Programs and Projects; Foreign Affairs; Good Government and Public Accountability; Higher and Technical Education; Justice; Legislative Franchises; Overseas Workers Affairs; Public Accounts; Public Works and Highways; and Transportation.

Personal life

On March 25, 2020, Yap initially announced that he tested positive for the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) but turned out to be negative a result of an "encoding error". The lawmaker took the test on March 15 for he was exposed to several people and not for being symptomatic for the disease. During the eleven-day wait period for the test result he divulged that he still attended and visited governmental meetings, like on March 21 at the Malacañang Palace and on March 23 at the special session of the House of Representatives.[16][17][18] Two days after the confirmation, on March 27, the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM), who tested his samples, have stated that Yap's result was actually negative but was listed initially as positive due to an "encoding error". Yap accepted the apology of the research center.[19][20]

References

1. Cruz, RG (August 1, 2019). "Paolo Duterte adopted in National Unity Party". ABS-CBN News. Retrieved July 24, 2020.
2. "2019 Midterm Election Results".
3. "LIST: Neophyte party-list reps include businessmen, political clans, former gov't officials". May 23, 2019.
4. Bueza, Michael. "ACT-CIS tops party-list race in Metro Manila, 5 regions". Rappler. Retrieved 2020-01-23.
5. https://www.comelec.gov.ph/?r=2019NLE/ElectionResults_/PartyListCanvassReport
6. Ranada, Pia. "Duterte signs Go's Malasakit Center law in Malacañang ceremony". Rappler. Retrieved 2020-02-10.
7. Dela Cruz, Divina Nova Joy (July 9, 2020). "Lawmaker bares ABS-CBN 'P200-M' offer; network denies bribe". The Manila Times. Retrieved July 9, 2020.
8. Maru, Davinci (July 9, 2020). "Solon denies linking ABS-CBN to alleged P200-M bribe try". ABS-CBN News. Retrieved July 9, 2020.
9. Perez-Rubio, Bella (July 10, 2020). "List of lawmakers who voted for and against ABS-CBN franchise renewal". The Philippine Star. Retrieved July 13, 2020.
10. "Party-list solon designated as Benguet caretaker". GMA News Online. Retrieved 2020-01-23.
11. Share; Twitter; Twitter; Twitter. "House names party-list solon as Benguet caretaker". www.pna.gov.ph. Retrieved 2020-01-23.
12. News, Michelle Soriano, ABS-CBN. "ACT-CIS' Eric Go Yap appointed caretaker congressman of Benguet". ABS-CBN News. Retrieved 2020-01-23.
13. Cimatu, Frank (January 22, 2020). "House names non-Cordilleran as Benguet caretaker congressman". Rappler. Retrieved July 13, 2020.
14. "Re-nationalization, more bed capacity for BeGH pushed – HERALD EXPRESS | News in Cordillera and Northern Luzon". Retrieved 2020-03-03.
15. Porcalla, Delon (March 3, 2020). "Cayetano opponents lose key House posts". The Philippine Star. Retrieved July 9, 2020.
16. "After attending Palace and Congress meetings, lawmaker reveals he has COVID-19". ABS-CBN News. March 25, 2020. Retrieved Mar 26, 2020.
17. Cepeda, Mara (March 25, 2020). "House appropriations panel chair Eric Yap tests positive for coronavirus". Rappler. Retrieved March 26, 2020.
18. Yap, DJ (March 26, 2020). "House rep infected; he was in Malacañang last weekend". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved March 26, 2020.
19. "Rep. Yap negative for COVID-19, RITM clarifies; apologizes for 'clerical oversight'". ABS-CBN News. March 27, 2020. Retrieved March 27, 2020.
20. "'Clerical oversight': RITM says congressman Yap 'remains negative' for COVID-19". Rappler. March 27, 2020. Retrieved March 27, 2020.