Sariaya: The Heritage Capital of Quezon

Sariaya is a municipality in the province of Quezon, about 12 kilometers from the densely populated city of Lucena, and about 120 kilometers south of the National Capital Region, where the capital of Manila is located.

It is a first-class municipality in the Region IV-A Philippines, and it's well-known for being one of the lucky few towns that have both a proximity to the sea coast and to the scenic Mount Banahaw.

Mount Banahaw forms the northern boundary of the municipality, while Tayabas, Quezon form the northeast, Lucena City in the east, Tayabas Bay on the south, San Juan, Batangas in the southwest, and the Municipality of Candelaria in the west.

Join us as we unbosom the colonial past and other information about the Heritage Capital of Quezon Province in this article.

Get to know Sariaya Quezon

There were many stories and rumors about the origin of the name Sariaya. The original story says that the town's name came from the word Sadyaya which is the name of one of the town's several rivers. Many years after the Spanish conquest, the inhabitants of Batangas made the little but significant adjustment of replacing "Sadyaya" with "Sariaya."

On the other hand, according to the second theory, "Sariaya" was derived from the name of a local lady named Saria. In one such legend, Saria was approached by a Spanish soldier who had become lost and requested her to tell him the name of the town. The lady thought she was being asked for her name, so she gave it to them.

Meanwhile, the third version was about the often assaulted by Moro pirates. During one such attack, pirates rummaged around the town hall and church for treasure. The pirates, however, had stumbled across written records of local laws that they considered to be incredibly fair and just, rather than the treasures they are searching for. Even though this town is impoverished, the Moro pirates boasted that its rules were fair and reasonable. The town was therefore dubbed "Shariah," the Arabic phrase for "good law" in the Islamic faith.

Sariaya's written history

The advent of the Augustinian missionary priests in a seashore Malay community in what is now Barangay Castanyas on the beaches of Tayabas Bay marked the beginning of Sariaya's recorded history. They found a flourishing population of pagan natives, most of whom they converted to Christianity.

In 1631, after years of being ruled by Tayabas, Sariaya gained independence and moved north to escape the devastating flaming plunder of the Moro pirates.

In 1743, as a result of a powerful earthquake, the Tumbaga church bell tower collapsed. This made the crater lake on Mount Banahaw's unstable southwest ridge crashed. This old settlement is then called “Lumangbayan” or Old town. In light of this, the remaining settlers had little alternative but to uproot and make the long journey north in search of a new, more secure location.

Sariaya's current town location is ideal since it provides a clear view of the Tayabas Bay coastline to the south, making it possible to keep tabs on all the action down there.

In addition, the present church was constructed using a more robust combination of materials than the stone church of Tumbaga. These elements include stones, masonry, albumin or egg white, bricks, and adobe blocks. The church and its four-story belfry were not only a place of worship, but also a lookout point from the shore to the mountains and the surrounding farmland, and a citadel or final stand for the locals in the event that attackers were able to overcome all the barriers and reach the town.

Currently, Sariaya is building friendships with the international community as it became part of the Santa Clarita Sister Cities in America.

Sariaya's Climate

Located in the southern portion of the province's mountain ranges, Sariaya has a Type III climate according to the PAGASA categorization system since its seasons are not especially distinct, being somewhat dry from December to April and rainy throughout the rest of the year. The short dry season, lasting only two to four months, and the very subtle peak rain times provide for a relatively constant climate.

List of Barangays in Sariaya

There are 43 barangays in Sariaya town site. Seven of the barangays are coastal barangays, one is a sub-urban barangay, and the six are urban barangays centered in the Poblacion:

Urban Barangays

Here are Sariaya's Urban Barangays according to their population rate:

- Poblacion 4

- Poblacion 1

- Poblacion 2

- Poblacion 5

- Poblacion 6

- Poblacion 3

Sub-urban Barangay

- Mamala 2

Coastal Barangays

Here are Sariaya's Coastal Barangays according to their population rate:

- Castañas

- Bignay I

- Bignay II

- Guisguis-Talon

- TalaanAplaya

- Guisguis-San Roque

- MangalangKiling

Rural Barangays

Here are Sariaya's Rural Barangays according to their total population rate:

- Santo Cristo

- Manggalang 1

- Concepcion Palasan

- Sampaloc 2

- Concepcion 1

- Balubal

- Lutucan 1

- Tumbaga 1

- Lutucan Malabag

- Montecillo

- Pili

- Manggalang Bantilan

- Gibanga

- Janagdong 1

- Canda

- Bucal

- Manggalang Tulo-Tulo

- Janagdong 2

- Mamala 1

- Concepcion Banahaw

- Concepcion Pinagbakuran

- Manggalang Kiling

- Sampaloc 1

- Lutucan Bata

- Talaan Pantoc

- Tumbaga 2

- Antipolo

- Morong

- Limbon

- Sampaloc Bogon

Tourist Attractions

Considered the Art Deco Capital of Southern Luzon and its pristine beach resorts, the Sariaya town center is quite famous to many backpackers and travelers as well as to businesses specifically on General Luna Street on Maharlika Highway. Here are some of the tourist spots in the town:

Saint Francis of Assisi Parish Church

Located in the heart of the historical district of Poblacion II, the Sariaya church was constructed in 1748 out of stone. According to historical documents, this is the sixth church the Spanish Franciscan Friars have built at Sariaya. The National Research and Markers Committee, the forerunner of the Philippine National Historical Institute, placed a historical marker on the church's exterior in 1938.

Sariaya Town Plaza

Surround yourself with Sariaya's famed pleasures and delights from the many restaurants, cafés, and souvenir shops.

Heritage house

Three heritage houses or ancestral houses were recognized in the town proper of Sariaya which include the Gala-Rodriguez house of Dr. Isidro Rodriguez and Gregoria Gala, the Enriquez-Gala mansion, owned by former Tayabas (now Quezon) Gov. Natalio Enriquez and Susana Gala, and the Rodriguez Ancestral House of Catalino and Luisa Rodriguez also known as Villa Sariaya.

A Substantial Home Investment in our Cultural Legacy

The Municipality of Sariaya still has a certain old-world allure that is evocative of the Philippines as shaped by its colonial history and the best thing is you can be part of this cultural legacy through Lumina Sariaya-- a community near the metro that can be reached through a bus route from Manila can be found in Brgy. Sampaloc Santo Cristo, Sariaya, Quezon.

Lumina Sariaya is 10 hectares of house and lot in the Philippines development that is just around 7 minutes away from Sariaya centro and Mt. Banahaw. This gives the affordable house and lot for sale in Lumina Sariaya the proximity to the public market, town plaza, public transport, medical clinics and facilities, as well as schools and various nature trekking activities.

Getting your home investment from this subdivision will also entitle you to lifetime use of amenities available inside the community such as a Multi Purpose Hall, a Guarded Entrance, and Mini Gardens & Playgrounds.

Make your home reservations now and appreciate a piece of our rich culture and history with the affordable house and lot in Lumina Sariaya.