Bounded on the North by the legendary Mt. Banahaw, on the south by Tayabas Bay, on the west by Candelaria and San Juan (Batangas) and on the east by Tayabas and Lucena City, Sariaya is known far and wide as the "town" of palatial houses.

Sariaya has an area of about 23,980 hectares, the greater part of which is planted with coconuts, populated with 128,248 (2007 Census).

"S A R I A"

It is said that by the middle of the 16th century, the fishermen inhabited the place now known as the barrio Timbaga near the seashore in Sariaya. One day the Spaniards visited the place. Not knowing where they were, they approached a certain woman and asked her what the name of the place was. The woman, not knowing Spanish and thinking perhaps that her name was what the Spaniards wanted to know, said "Saria". The Spaniards wrote "Saria" on their notebooks as the name of the settlement. And while the Spaniards were talking with each other, the natives heard them utter the words "Saria-ya". Hence, the words traveled from mmouth to mouth and became a common saying until the twowords were combined.

"FRANCISCAN FRIARS"

In 1599, the franciscan missionaries arrived in Sariaya. They constructed a church and made St. Francis of Assisi as Patron Saint of the town. Six years later, another chuch was built to replace the old one.

Because of constant Moro raids, the settlers fled farther inland carrying with them an image of Christ at the Cross, which they saved when their settlement was being burned. Upon reaching the place where the present town of Sariaya is located, the image suddenly became so heavy that the settlers decided to stayed there and founded a settlement.

"CALAMITIES"

Besides the raids of Moro Pirates, the town suffered natural and man-made calamities such as: Mt. Banahaw, then an active volcano, erupted in 1539. It is said that for (2)two days, molten lava and stones flooded the town destroying countless houses and properties. The eruption was repeated on January 18, 1909.

An earthquake came in this town in 1734 and destryed the church built in Tumbaga I. In 1756 and 1786, an epidemic killing hundreds of people occured in the town. It was repeated in 1872 and 1882.

Fire hits the town in 1831, 1837, 1847, 1930 and 1951.

Bandits rampaged the town in 1838. The town Captain is beheaded. A certain Don Tiburcio Rodriguez was also killed. The attacked was repeated in 1853. This time, the bandits killed the commissioners of the town, burned one house and held their celebrations in Casa Real. The last attack recorded was when the Bandits tried to ransack the municipal building, but they failed because of the resistance of the brave policemen of the town.