Sariaya to realize cityhood dreams soon

If things don’t miscarry, the municipality of Sariaya under Mayor Marcelo Gayeta would become a city soon.

In his Gilas Dayalogo with the local media on Tuesday, January 23, at the Queen Margarette Hotel in this city, Gayeta said the municipality is getting close to becoming a city following the completion of the requirements.

“This year, we have finally complied with the requirements for cityhood, and we started the procedure rolling,” said Gayeta, who is hoping for a cityhood for Sariaya before his term as mayor ends in 2025.

Under the Local Government Code, a city can be created if it has an annual income of P100 million and a territory of at least 100 square kilometers or a population of not less than 150,000.

Sariaya, a first-class municipality in Quezon province, has surpassed all these requirements.

Gayeta said Sariaya’s income is now P120 million and its population is now more than 150,000. Based on the 2020 census, Sariaya already has a population of 161,868. Its land area is 212.16 square kilometers.

The municipality, according to Gayeta, has already submitted all documentary requirements for the processing.

Gayeta said big companies like San Miguel Corp. (SMC) putting in investments contributed to the town’s attainment of annual income requirements to becoming a city.

SMC constructed food processing plants in Barangay Castañas which will soon employ more than 3,000 local residents.

He stressed he specifically ordered his employees to accommodate all investors who expressed intention to put up businesses in Sariaya.

“We receive all investors with open arms and make all efforts to make their transactions smooth. We even offer them coffee and snacks while their papers are being processed,” the mayor concluded.