Congratulations! Mayor Jane Yap (4th from left), receives the Champion for Digital Advocacy and Connectivity Award during the GCash Digital Excellence Awards 2025 on February 19, 2026. This was held at the Grand Ballroom of the Grand Hyatt Manila in Bonifacio Global City, Taguig and this award underscores digitalization as one of her key advocacies and the focus of her first Executive Order in 2022 mandating the digitalization of processes in the City Government of Tagbilaran City. In photo together with Mayor Yap are First District Congressman John Geesnell “Baba” Yap II (3rd from left) and GCash officials during the awarding ceremony. (Contributed photo)
By GLORIA LEODIVICA INES ARANETA
The City Government of Tagbilaran has once again earned national recognition after receiving the Champion for Digital Advocacy and Connectivity Award during the GCash Digital Excellence Awards 2025, held on February 19, 2026, at the Grand Ballroom of the Grand Hyatt Hotel in Bonifacio Global City, Taguig.
The Champion for Digital Advocacy and Connectivity Award is bestowed upon individuals, agencies, or organizations that have been instrumental in expanding digital financial services fostering collaboration that enables broader access to cashless and inclusive digital solutions.
Mayor Jane Yap, together with First District Congressman John Geesnell “Baba” Yap II, received the award on behalf of the city government during the formal ceremony attended by local government units and institutional partners from across the country.
Mayor Yap said the recognition reflects the city’s collective efforts toward modernizing public service delivery.
“This award reflects our consistent efforts toward a more digitally enabled Tagbilaran. We thank our city government employees who continue to advance digital innovation in governance, as well as our constituents—the Tagbilaranons—for embracing cashless transactions. By adopting digital solutions, we are able to deliver faster, more efficient, and more inclusive public services,” the mayor said.
Tagbilaran City has been consistently demonstrating excellence in digital innovation, having earned multiple recognitions in previous years.
In 2024, the city was awarded Leader in Sustainable Financial Digitalization.
In 2023, it received both the GCash Excellence in Digital Innovation Award and the GCash Palengke Award – Excellence in Digital Empowerment.
In 2022, the city was honored with the GCash Digital Excellence Award in Digital Sustainability.
Earlier, in 2021, Tagbilaran City received the GCash Digital Excellence Award in Digital Ecosystem Innovation during the leadership of then Mayor and now Congressman Baba Yap, marking the start of the city’s consistent recognition for digital governance initiatives.
The City Government of Tagbilaran continues to develop long-term strategies of integrating digital platforms into local governance to improve service delivery expanding access to financial services for its residents.