Caretaker no more: Party-list rep Yap gets Benguet House seat
BAGUIO CITY, Philippines — Rep. Eric Go Yap (ACT-CIS party-list) will be heading back to the House of Representatives after getting the most votes in the race to be congressman of Benguet, where he was previously designated caretaker legislator.
Yap, designated caretaker of Benguet's legislative district after the death of Rep. Nestor Fongwan Sr. in 2020, received 123,801 votes, with Victor Palangdan, his closest rival, getting 71,200 votes.
The Quezon City-born lawmaker assured Benguet residents the continuity of infrastructure projects, social programs and free medical services.
"Itutuloy ko yung mandato ko na tumulong sa mga kailyan natin, dun sa mga remote areas. Lahat aabutin natin, wala pa ring pababayaan. Lahat ng mga kailyan natin, maging malayo man, basta may nangangailangan ng tulong, bibigyan natin," Yap said, using the term Cordillera people use to refer to each other.
(I will continue our mandate of helping our kailyan in the remote areas. We will reach all of them, we will leave none behind. All of the kailyan
The lawmaker added he is also bent on putting up more farm-to-market roads in the province, which he said will help farmers bring their produce to different markets. He said he also plans to allocate funds for the full rehabilitation of Kennon Road and construction of potable drinking water system in the province.
With vegetable smuggling one of the issues hurled against the solon during the campaign, Yap said he is willing to work closely with farmers, traders, the Department of Agriculture and the Bureau of Customs to help curb the problem.
"Lahat ng nag-aakusa sa atin na ako ay involved sa smuggling, china-challenge ko kayo. Makipagtulungan kayo sa akin. Kung gusto niyong ipaglaban ang mga farmers. Samahan niyo ako para bulabugin natin ang mga taga Customs," added Yap.
(To everyone who accused me of being involved in smuggling, I challenge you: Work with me. If you want to fight for the farmers. Join me in calling the attention of the people in Customs.)
In the gubernatorial race, Gov. Melchor Diclas was elected to a fresh three-year term after garnering 112,345 votes against Board Member Robert Namoro, who came in second with 64,187 votes.
Public works contractor Erickson Felipe had 101,267 dislodging Vice Governor Johnny Waguis, who had 68,681 votes.
Elected board members elect for District 1 include Johannes Amuasen, Sander Fianza, Florencio Bentrez, and Juan Nazarro while district 2 board members are Neptali Camsol, Joel Tingbaoen Jr., Ruben Paoad, Robert Canuto, Fernando Balaodan Sr. and Rose Marie Fongwan-Kepes.
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