Sariaya Town Plaza and Municipal Hall

The genesis of Sariaya’s name was shrouded in legends, folklores, and hearsays. The first version traced the name from an old river “Sadyaya”. The slight change from “Sadyaya” to “Sariaya” many years after the Spaniards had arrived was a natural and logical shift in the Batangas people’s view.

 

The second version, from folktales and hearsays, indicated that “Sariaya” came from a native woman’s name Saria. In such folktale, a Spanish soldier who had lost his way met and asked Saria for the name of the pueblo. The woman misunderstood and gave her name instead – thinking that it was her name that was being asked. 

 

The third version was about the frequently attacked by Moro pirates. In one of those raids, pirates ransacked the public office and chapel looking for gold, silver, money or anything valuable. However, instead of finding treasures, the pirates had found written records of local laws which they also found remarkably fair and just. The Moro pirates exclaimed that though this town was very poor, it had fair and just laws. Thus, to our community was given the name “Shariah”, a Moslem word for “good law”.

In front of the church is the town plaza that honors Jose Rizal, the country's national hero. His monument is standing facing the town's municipal hall. Sariaya Municipal Hall to me looks more like a chapel than a hall.