The phenomenal rise of City Councilor John Geesnel Yap known intimately as Baba was catapulted in a poll result placing him in No. 1 position against three other city mayoralty hopefuls in a survey released recently and conducted by the Holy Name University Research Center. The young Yap’s impressive showing in the survey cut across the D and E segments where he polled 44 and 52 percent ,respectively. Across the classes ABC, D and E, Yap amassed a total of 40% as against Jose Veloso, 27%, Abraham Lim, 16% and Alberta Torralba, 9%. The same survey showed Yap having a “poor showing” in Class ABC with 17%,. This particular class represents the city’s business sector but according to survey indicators, the concentration of the poll was focused more in the grassroot level.

If indeed Yap is going to capture the imagination of the business sector, it is not hard to overcome knowing that he is a businessman by orientation on account of being the scion of the owners of Bohol Tropics Resort. Veloso, a defeated mayoralty bet bested Yap in Class ABC but across age groups, Yap had relatively more votes from the 25-34 (60%) and 34-44 (50%) groups and tied votes with Veloso in the 18-24 age group. For the 45 and above age group, Yap, Veloso and Lim got the same votes at 30%, 24% and 26%, respectively. Yap is the nephew of Dr. Abe Lim, a US-based physician who is wooing the city electorate to replace younger brother Dan Neri Lim, the incumbent city mayor. The same HNU poll survey cited the reasons for voting the young Yap as mayor of this city. The survey indicated the reasons for voting Yap as cited by voters. The top reasons cited were to “test his capabilities” (20%), he is young (20%), he has sports programs, i.e. basketball leagues, etc. (18%), he is a good person” (15%) and he has already implemented a lot of projects” (13%).

BACKGROUND

The HNU, since 1997, has been conducting “Bohol Poll”, a public opinion polling activity aimed to determine the opinions and sentiments of the Boholanos on various issues and concerns which directly and indirectly affect them. This in annual research exercise, part of the commitment of the university to the local community, for the voices of the governed to be heard as valuable inputs to policy makers, decision makers, planners and others.