Yap started his directing career with the short film Squatterina that highlighted the similarities between a typical illegal settler in Olongapo and the disciplines of ballet.[2] It was followed by his first full film #Jowable in 2018 which is about a troubled young woman named Elsa (starring Kim Molina) who yearns for a mature and intimate relationship.[3] The film gained mixed reviews from critics.[3][4][5]
In May 2020, Yap released a television series entitled Sakristan about two men coming to terms in finding love despite being church servants.[6] He received widespread criticism before the series' release due to the nature of the title and posters.[7] There were online demands to cancel Sakristan due to its disrespectful and offensive content to the Catholic Church.[8][9] The series was released through YouTube.[10][11]
In July 2021, Yap released another film entitled Gluta, about an Aeta girl who dreams of winning the Miss Universe pageant but faces discrimination from her own indigenous community.[15][16] In August 2021, Yap also released an erotic comedy film, Revirginized, about a mother (played by Sharon Cuneta) who never had a proper coming of age experience.[17][18]
In 2024, Yap released a romantic comedy film, titled Seoulmeyt, about a Filipina fan of Korean dramas meets with the man of her dreams until she discovers his fake personality.[26][27] Starring Kim Molina and Jerald Napoles,[28] and also shot in South Korea,[29] the film received positive reviews.[30][31] In October 2024, it was reported that Yap is planning to do an upcoming movie about the late Filipino actress Pepsi Paloma.[32]
Personal life
A polarizing and controversial figure in the Philippine film industry, Yap is openly gay and Roman Catholic despite his opposing views on the church's teachings.[1]
In 2020, Yap drew controversy for his film Ayudamn, which was condemned on social media for having an offensive remark to single parents. A social media user posted a thread showing supposed screenshots of grooming him when he was 16 years old. The user also claimed that Yap's videographer Vincent Asis also had relationships with minors.[35]
Yap responded to the claim with a similar thread of screenshots, claiming that during the conversations, the user was allegedly telling him that he was a rape victim. He stated that the user had edited and manipulated the screenshots to maliciously portray him as a child groomer.[35]
A Facebook user also accused Yap of perpetuating pedophilia and child abuse amidst the lockdown put in place due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Yap threatened to file legal complaints against the Facebook user for spreading false information, asserting that he is not a pedophile nor has abused children.[35]
Yap also drew backlash for an old tweet in 2017 which he stated "masarap ang bata" (lit.'Children is delicious'). Among them was former Commission on Elections commissioner Rowena Guanzon, who called on the public to boycott Yap's movies and report him to his films' financiers.[35]
Yap's film, Maid in Malacañang, drew controversy due to several controversial scenes.[36] In one scene shown in the film's trailer, Corazon Aquino (played by Giselle Sanchez) was shown telling government forces via telephone to immediately deport the Marcoses from the country while playing mahjong with the Carmelites in Cebu.[37]
The accuracy of the scene was debunked by Corazon Aquino's daughter Kris Aquino for lacking context. Her fan page on Twitter shared an account from former Supreme Court associate justice Cecilia Muñoz-Palma of a phone call between Aquino and United States AmbassadorStephen W. Bosworth. During their conversation, Bosworth informed Aquino that Ferdinand Marcos was ready to leave for exile to the United States but requested to stay for a few days in Paoay. The account stated that Aquino felt pity for Marcos and wanted to grant him the two days' stay against the advice of her companions. In the end, Aquino called Bosworth to inform Marcos that his request would not be granted and should just leave the country. Bosworth called Aquino back to inform her that Marcos had left the country. The account stated that after Aquino informed her companions of the departure of the Marcoses, the room was in celebration while Aquino remained silent.[38]
18th Cinemalaya Philippine Independent Film Festival
In August 2022, Yap was booed by filmmakers at the 18th Cinemalaya Philippine Independent Film Festival after his name appeared on-screen in the credits of a Cinemalaya film that he helped create. He stated that he was unable to promote the film due to his work on Maid in Malacañang.[39][40]
