SARIAYA, Quezon – An exuberant Mayor Marcelo Gayeta of this town is in the mood nowadays for the fulfillment in the years to come of a new government complex and a business center that sit on an 11-hectare lot in Barangay Sampaloc 2 in preparation for cityhood.
Yes, Sariaya is geared toward becoming a city in the near future.
But, why not? Sariaya is a first-class municipality that is the most populous town in Quezon province with over 161,000 inhabitants, according to the 2020 census.
SARIAYA, Quezon Mayor Marcelo Gayeta discusses the comprehensive development plan in preparation for Sariaya to become the City of Sariaya at Queen Margaret Hotel on Thursday, June 15, in Lucena City, with his staff (from right) municipal administrator and concurrent public information officer Ronan Nantes and Rustico ‘June’ Laurilla, head of a business permit and licensing office. (Danny Estacio)
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Sariaya is also one of Quezon’s top grossing municipalities owing to its robust agriculture industry, its major sources of income. According to the 2016 Competitiveness Index of the National Competitiveness Council or NCC, the municipality belongs to the Top 50 most competitive municipalities in the Philippines.
Population size and probably income are two basic requisites that are given strong considerations before a town is made a city.
Gayeta, who is in his third term as mayor of this town considered by experts as the “Heritage Town of Quezon” and the “Art Deco Capital of Southern Luzon,” seems determined to see the town become a city right on or before his term ends.
He is optimistic that the new municipal building will be completed soon as part of his three-year development plan.
Already ongoing are the construction of a super health center and Mayor’s Mansion, while a convention center, a building for local and national offices, a recreation area, and housing project are already on planning stage.
On Thursday, June 15, Gayeta, along with town officials, municipal administrator, and concurrent public information officer Ronan Nantes, business permit and licensing office head Rustico “June” Laurilla, municipal planning officer Ronnie Lindog, and tourism officer Randy Tronila, met the media at Queen Margaret-Downtown here.
The mayor appealed to the media to help the municipal government in disseminating the information to far-flung barangays.
Sariaya has 43 barangays, and several of them are in the coastal areas of Tayabas Bay.
He also reminded the media to fight fake news which, when circulated on social media, affects the prompt opinion of the people.
Gayeta proudly declared his administration is friendly to business and investors as manifested by the presence of some multinational companies in the province like Ramon Ang’s San Miguel Corp. which put up a huge investment which includes food and beverage, packaging, energy, fuel and oil, infrastructure, cement property, and banking services; John Gokongwei Jr. of Universal Robina Corp.; Lucio Go of Puregold, Azora Holding Inc., and many other popular food chains in the country.
Gayeta said the fast and efficient delivery of services encourages businessmen to augment revenues and job opportunities in the locality of every establishment.
He added that even the establishment of a farm tourism restaurant located at the foot of Mount Banahaw draws local and foreign tourists on a daily basis, and resorts at the Tayabas Bay are the big contributors of taxes for the municipality’s coffers.
Gayeta assured that Sariaya as a food basket in Quezon will not be affected by industrialization because the comprehensive development plan of the LGU is guided accordingly by the Comprehensive Land Use Plan (CLUP).
In the years to come, Gayeta said “we are seeing the town of Sariaya becoming the City of Sariaya with more big establishments and businesses which will uplift the lives of Sariayahin.”