Arthur "Art" Cua Yap (Chinese: ; pinyin: Huáng Yánhuī; Pe̍h-ōe-jī: N̂g Gân-hui;[1] born November 10, 1965) is a Filipino politician who is the former governor of Bohol from 2019 to 2022. He was the secretary of the Department of Agriculture under the Arroyo administration from 2004 to 2005 and from 2006 to 2007.[2] He became a member of the House of Representatives of the Philippines, representing the 3rd District of Bohol from 2010 to 2019.

Arthur C. Yap
Yap at the 2010 World Economic Forum on East Asia in Vietnam
26th Governor of Bohol
In office
June 30, 2019 – June 30, 2022
Vice GovernorRene Relampagos
Preceded byEdgar Chatto
Succeeded byErico Aristotle Aumentado
Member of the Philippine House of Representatives from Bohol's 3rd District
In office
June 30, 2010 – June 30, 2019
Preceded byAdam Relson Jala
Succeeded byKristine Alexie Besas-Tutor
41st Secretary of Agriculture
In office
October 25, 2006 – February 24, 2010
PresidentGloria Macapagal Arroyo
Preceded byDomingo F. Panganiban
Succeeded byBernie Fondevilla
In office
August 23, 2004 – June 30, 2005
Preceded byLuis Lorenzo
Succeeded byDomingo F. Panganiban
Personal details
Born
Arthur Cua Yap

(1965-11-10) November 10, 1965 (age 58)
Manila, Philippines
Political partyPDP–Laban (2017–present)
Other political
affiliations
Lakas-CMD (2004–2015)
NPC (2015–2017)
SpouseCarolyne Varquez-Gow
Children2
ResidencePasig
Alma materAteneo de Manila University(A.B.,JD)

Early life and education edit

Yap was born on November 10, 1965, in Manila.[3] He is the eldest among the three children of Domingo Yap and Natividad Cua. His father was born in Jolo, Sulu and is of Chinese-Tausug descent while his mother, also with Chinese ancestry, was from Dagupan, Pangasinan.[4]

For his elementary and high school education, Yap studied at Xavier School from 1973 to 1983.[4] He went to Ateneo de Manila University for college and graduated in 1987 with a degree in management economics. He was a dean’s lister during this time and had Gloria Macapagal Arroyo as his economics professor. He was also a student leader in high school and college, and was present at EDSA during the People Power Revolution.[4] He went to the Ateneo de Manila University School of Law for his Juris Doctor's degree and was admitted to the bar in 1992.[4]

Career edit

While studying, Yap was recruited by a professor to join the Balane, Barican, Cruz, Alampay Law Office. He worked there for about two years. After being admitted to the bar, he was recommended by Fr. Joaquin Bernas to join the law office of former Associate Justice Adolfo Azcuna. Because of that, he became an associate lawyer of the Azcuna, Yorac, Sarmiento, Arroyo, Cua Law Office.[4]

In the late 1990s, Yap co-founded a law office with Paulino Ejercito and Karlo Butiong.[4][5] The latter served as the external corporate counsel for DHY Realty and Development Inc., a family-owned corporation in which Yap and his father held the positions of vice president and president, respectively. This company became the subject of a tax evasion complaint filed by the Bureau of Internal Revenue, alleging actions dating back to 1997. However, this complaint was subsequently dismissed by the Department of Justice in October 2005.[6]

Yap first entered government service in August 2001 as president and CEO of the Philippine International Trading Corporation under the Department of Trade and Industry. Thereafter, he served as the administrator of the National Food Authority for two years and as Agriculture Undersecretary for Luzon Operations, after which was a brief stint as the Secretary of Agriculture. He was one of the youngest to be appointed to the Cabinet of President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo. He was also designated as the Development Champion for the North Luzon Agribusiness Quadrangle (NLAQ). He then left the post in July 2005 to give way to Domingo Panganiban.

In December 2005, he became Presidential Adviser for Job Creation. He then became the 15th Director General of the Presidential Management Staff, the fifth post he had been designated to in the Arroyo administration. He was appointed again as Agriculture Secretary in October 2006, serving until his resignation in February 2010 to run as a member of the House of Representatives.

From 2010 to 2019, Yap was a congressman representing the third district of Bohol. While there, he held various positions such as being assistant minority leader of the Committee on Rules,[7] vice-chairman of the Committees on Globalization And WTO,[8] Government Enterprises And Privatization,[8] and Ecology,[9] chairman of the Committees on Reforestation[8] and Economic Affairs,[9] and being the deputy speaker from 2018 to 2019.[10]

During the 2019 Philippine gubernatorial elections, Yap ran for governor of Bohol under PDP–Laban, the party of President Rodrigo Duterte. His opponents included former Cabinet Secretary Leoncio Evasco. Yap won by a slim margin of 2,161 votes garnering 326,895 votes against Evasco’s 324,734.[11] He took his oath on June 30, 2019, officially becoming Bohol's 26th governor.[12]

Personal life edit

Yap is married to Carolyne Varquez-Gow, a native of Loboc, Bohol. Together they have 2 children.[4] He speaks Tagalog, English and Cebuano (both Standard and Boholano dialect).[13]

References edit

  1. ^ "總統杜特地簽署"簡易營商"新法令 商總黃年榮蔡聰妙林育慶應邀見證儀式" [President Duterte signs "ease of business" decree; President Huang Nianrong, Tsai Tsung-Miu, and Lin Yuqing invited to witness ceremony]. Chinese Commercial News (in Chinese). June 1, 2018. Retrieved December 20, 2021.
  2. ^ "Yap says there's enough food but prices higher". Philippine Daily Inquirer. March 7, 2008. Retrieved June 26, 2010.
  3. ^ "Philippines, Manila, Civil Registration, 1899-1984," database with images, FamilySearch (11 November 2017), Arthur Cua Yap, 10 Nov 1965; Birth, 10 Nov 1965, City of Manila Civil Registrar, Philippines; FHL microfilm 1,682,048.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g Palapos, Loy (March 24, 2013). "Walking the Talk (First of 2 Parts)". Bohol Sunday Post. Retrieved July 9, 2019.
  5. ^ "Ex-Manila councilor dies". Philstar.com. Retrieved 2023-11-04.
  6. ^ Clapano, Jose Rodel. "DOJ junks tax evasion raps against former agriculture chief". Philstar.com. Retrieved 2023-11-04.
  7. ^ "Yap, Arthur C." House of Representatives of the Philippines (15th Congress). Archived from the original on July 9, 2011. Retrieved July 9, 2019.
  8. ^ a b c "Hon. Yap, Arthur C." House of Representatives of the Philippines. Archived from the original on July 12, 2016. Retrieved July 9, 2019.
  9. ^ a b "Hon. Yap, Arthur C." House of Representatives of the Philippines (17th Congress). Archived from the original on September 16, 2017. Retrieved July 9, 2019.
  10. ^ Cervantes, Filane Mikee (August 15, 2018). "House installs Yap, Pichay as new deputy speakers". Philippine News Agency. Retrieved July 9, 2019.
  11. ^ Visarra, Chito M. (June 30, 2019). "Evasco files poll protest, challenges results in 6 towns". The Bohol Chronicle. Retrieved July 9, 2019.
  12. ^ "Art Yap takes oath as Bohol's 26th governor". The Bohol Chronicle. June 30, 2019. Retrieved June 9, 2019.
  13. ^ "Tubag sa mga pangutana kabahin sa sardinas nga kunohay atong gipanghatag sa atong mga relief goods nga adunay ngalan nako. | By Art Yap | Facebook". www.facebook.com. Retrieved 2023-10-23.
Political offices
Preceded by Governor of Bohol
2019–2022
Succeeded by
Government offices
Preceded by Secretary of Agriculture
2006–2010
Succeeded by
Preceded by
Luis P. Lorenzo Jr.
Secretary of Agriculture
2004–2005
Succeeded by
House of Representatives of the Philippines
Preceded by Member of the House of Representatives
from Bohol's 3rd district

2010–2019
Succeeded by