The House of Representatives through Speaker Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo accorded Deputy Speaker Arthur Yap the Congressional Order of Distinction for his contributions in crafting landmark legislation during his nine-year stint as representative of Bohol’s 3^rd District.

Arroyo presented the recognition to Yap at the Batasang Pambansa in Quezon City on Tuesday as the 17th Congress adjourned sine die.

Arroyo and Yap, both last-term representatives, will be vacating their posts and will no longer be part of the Lower House when the 18th Congress opens on July 22.

“Katapusang adlaw sa session sa Kongreso, nakadawat kita ug pasidungog. Dili kini pasidungog alang kanako lamang kun dili pasidungog sa tanang mga Bol-anon. Nagpasabot lamang kini nga wala nako tamhangi ang kahigayonan nga inyong gihatag kanako nga makaserbisyo kaninyo,” said Yap.

Yap has been instrumental in passing landmark laws on irrigation, rural finance and crop insurance and has crafted hundreds of bills during the 15^th, 16^th and 17^th Congresses.

“I authored the Free Irrigation Act, Personal Property Security Act, The PAGASA Modernization Act, Universal Tertiary Education Law, The Philhealth Law, the Ease Of Doing Business Law among other landmark laws and hundreds of bills I filed in my three terms as a distinguished legislator representing the Third District Of Bohol,” Yap said.

“I also fought for the support of innovation and technology in renewable energies, clean water and energy and further liberalizing the telecom industry,” he added.

Yap who was appointed as Deputy Speaker last year was elected governor of Bohol during the May 13 midterm polls. He will assume his new post at noon on June 30.