Monsignor Manuel

It is the street formerly known as "Maria Cristina" within the Cebu Heights Subdivision (now known as one of the major thoroughfares of Barangay Capitol Site).

Manuel was born on June 17, 1900, son of couple Fernando Salomon Manalili Yap (from China) and Rufina Bondaco Porcia (of Mabolo. He was born in Carcar, Cebu. Manuel is said to be the first Carcaranon bishop.

Ordained as a priest on Sept. 29, 1929, he later served as parish priest of Mandaue. He was later appointed Bishop of Capiz on Feb. 13, 1951 and ordained Bishop of Capiz on May 1, 1951. Capiz was made a separate ecclesiastical jurisdiction from Jaro on Feb. 15, 1951 making Monsignor Manuel the first bishop of Capiz. Transferred as Bishop of Bacolod on Mar. 5, 1952 and died serving the diocese on Oct. 16, 1966.

Bishop Yap initiated the strengthening of the Chinese Community into the Catholic Church. When he was appointed bishop of Bacolod he requested that priests of Chinese descent be assigned to his diocese. In 1954, fathers Joseph Wang and Peter Tsang were assigned as assistants of Monsignor Antonio Y. Fortich (also of Chinese descent) the parish priest of Bacolod City. A year later, two others came to assist the growing need of taking care of the Chinese in Negros, they were fathers John Liu and James Liu.

On May 9, 1957 the Chinese Catholic Center was inaugurated by Bishop Manuel Yap and Governor Alfredo Montelibano Jr. The lot that housed the two-story building was donated by Don Alfredo Montelibano Sr. It was a half hectare lot near the then Capitol Shopping Center. Years later, the Chinese Community and the Sacred Congregation for the Propagation of Faith built the Queen of Peace Parish Church.

Bishop Yap was the first to translate the Bible to Cebuano. Other Carcaranons who became bishops were: Monsignor Teofilo Bastida Camomot, Sincero Barcenilla Lucero and Jose Ricare Manguiran.

The street renaming was enacted in an ordinance on Sept. 10, 1968 (City Ordinance No. 635), renaming Maria Cristina Street after Monsignor Manuel P. Yap, a Cebuano who served the people of Panay Island and the Bacolodnons.