John Geesnell Yap
{{Short description|Filipino politician (born 1977)}}
{{Philippine name|Lim|Yap}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name = John Geesnell Yap
| image = Mayor Baba Yap.png
| caption =
| office = Member of the Philippine House of Representatives from Bohol's 1st District
| term_start = June 30, 2025
| term_end =
| predecessor = Edgar Chatto
| office1 = Mayor of Tagbilaran
| term_start1 = June 30, 2013
| term_end1 = June 30, 2022
| 1blankname1 = {{nowrap|Vice mayor}}
| 1namedata1 = Jose Antonio Veloso
| predecessor1 = Dan Lim
| successor1 = Jane Cajes Yap
| office2 = City Councilor of Tagbilaran
| term_start2 = June 30, 2010
| term_end2 = June 30, 2013
| birth_name = John Geesnell Lim Yap II {{cite web|url=http://leo-bared.blogspot.com/2008/10/latest-of-baba-yap.html|title=The Latest of Baba Yap|author=Leo Udtohan|date=October 25, 2008|accessdate=August 10, 2009}}
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1977|10|16}}
| birth_place = Tagbilaran City, Bohol, Philippines
| nationality = Filipino
| party = LDP (2024–present)
| otherparty = NUP (2012–2015; 2016–2024)
Liberal (2015–2016)
NPC (2009–2012)
| spouse = Jane Cajes Yap
| signature =
| website = [http://www.babayap.com/ babayap.com]
| nickname = Baba, Nell
}}
John Geesnell Lim Yap II (born October 16, 1977), popularly known as Baba Yap, is a Filipino politician who has been the representative for Bohol's first district in the House of Representatives of the Philippines since 2025. He was previously the mayor of Tagbilaran, Bohol from 2013 to 2022 until he was succeeded by his wife Jane Yap.
Early life and education
{{Moresources | section|date=February 2024}}
Yap, born John Geesnell Lim Yap II, is the second son of John U. Yap and Geesnell N. Lim. He finished his elementary at Holy Spirit School of Tagbilaran in 1989 and secondary at Divine Word College of Tagbilaran, now Holy Name University in 1993. He took up accountancy at the University of San Carlos in Cebu City. He became the chief accountant of their family business at Bohol Tropics Resort Club and owns a nightclub called Lazer Party Club in Tagbilaran City.
Yap is married to Jane Censoria Cajes, a former Sangguniang Kabataan Bohol provincial president and national president who is 13 years his junior. They have one daughter Janah Geesnell.
Political career
Yap's first stint in politics began when he was elected as city councilor of Tagbilaran City during the 2010 elections.
In 2013, he ran for mayor and won against lawyer Agustinus Gonzaga of the Liberal Party and Dr. Abraham N. Lim (UNA), the brother of then outgoing mayor, Dan Lim. At the age of 35, he became the youngest city mayor of Tagbilaran. He ran for reelection in 2016 and won.{{cite web|url=http://www.boholchronicle.com.ph/2015/10/04/baba-toto-unite-team-shaping-up/|title=Baba, Toto unite; team shaping up|publisher=Bohol Chronicle|date=October 4, 2015|accessdate=August 10, 2016}}
On May 13, 2019, Yap was reelected for a 3rd consecutive term and won with a landslide.{{cite web|url=https://www.boholchronicle.com.ph/2019/05/15/baba-toto-win-in-landslide-victories-for-3rd-term/|publisher=Bohol Chronicle|title=Baba, Toto win in landslide victories for 3rd term|date=May 15, 2019|accessdate=August 10, 2019}}
Awards
- Ranked 2nd on the top performing mayors in the Central Visayas (2021), by RP- Mission and Development Foundation Inc. (RPMD).{{cite news|url=https://www.boholchronicle.com.ph/2021/08/24/baba-ranks-2nd-among-top-performing-mayors-in-c-visayas/?fbclid=IwAR0R3ysIc-iT78x3pdkxYJ6A4l2hwL28EbyaNg2BQ42fsThK0SSFj0AHPRs|title=Baba ranks 2nd among top-performing mayors in C. Visayas|work=Bohol Chronicle|date=August 24, 2021|accessdate=August 24, 2021}}
- CSC PAGASA Award (Regional and National Awardee) for Outstanding Public Servants (2019){{cite web|url=https://tagbilaran.gov.ph/2019/12/16/mayor-yap-bags-the-national-and-regional-csc-pagasa-award/|title=MAYOR YAP BAGS THE NATIONAL AND REGIONAL CSC PAGASA AWARD|publisher=tagbilaran.gov.ph|date=December 16, 2019|accessdate=January 1, 2020}}
{{s-start}}
{{succession box |
before= Dan Neri Lim |
title=Mayor of Tagbilaran |
years= 2013 – 2022|
after= Jane Cajes Yap
}}
{{s-end}}
References
{{reflist|2}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Yap, John Geesnell}}
Category:National Unity Party (Philippines) politicians
Category:People from Tagbilaran
Category:Mayors of places in Bohol
Category:University of San Carlos alumni