The Sariaya Community Empowerment UP Research Team presented its initial output at the 2nd General Assembly of the Sariaya Tourism Council (STC) held at the St. Joseph’s Academy Gymnasium on Saturday, November 10, 2007. Led by Dean Corazon Rodriguez of the Asian Institute of Tourism (AIT), the rest of the multi disciplinary group included College Secretary Prof. Antonio Lazaro, Prof. Romeo de la Cruz, and Research Assistant Kristel Parungao (AIT), Asst. Prof. Marie Eloisa “Binky” Ulanday (College of Human Kinetics), Asst. Prof. Anril P. Tiatco (College of Home Economics), Dr. Verne de la Pena (College of Music) and Ms. Joy Quiambao (UP Research Project Secretary).A fifth academic entity, the College of Architecture was not represented because Professors Mata and Ozaeta had to attend to very important previous commitments.

The research team, on a landmark study of local culture since December 2006 in order to help the Sariaya Tourism Council in establishing a comprehensive and workable grassroots heritage-based tourism program, came here to report the initial results respective conclusions obtained, for validation by the Sariayahin stakeholders via PowerPoint presentation.

Asst. Prof. Anril P Tiatco talked about their group’s findings on Lambanog, Minukmok and Pinag-ong, complete with the step by step procedures involved in their manufacture, as well as the interesting folk elements associated with them.

Meanwhile, College of Human Kinetics Asst. Professor Binky Ulanday reported about the various physical endeavors, specifically on the dance and sports activities that they observed in town, most especially in the park and in some barangays. They were done during the Lenten season and in May time, particularly the Agawan Festival and the various barangay fiestas traditionally held in honor of San Isidro Labrador.

Dr. Verne de la Pena of the College of Music provided a very interesting presentation on the traditional “Paawitan”, and the “Pabasa” as it was performed and sung in Sariaya and outlying areas care of computer - recorded excerpts from their Holy Week footages of April 8 – 15, 2007. He put emphasis on the peculiar differences between the “Pang Simbahan” and the “Sampay Bakod” style of doing the Pabasa.

AIT Dean Corazon Rodriguez gave an overview on how the two – year Sariaya Community Empowerment Research. She elaborated on the different phases that their multi disciplinary group had undergone and will repetitiously continue to pursue, from data gathering, processing, validation and presentation. Accordingly, the research output of the four colleges will end up with the Asian Institute of Tourism Research Team of Professors Antonio Lazaro and Romeo de la Cruz. It will be the responsibility of the AIT team to sort out through those research outputs in order to come up with the necessary tour packages for Sariaya.

AIT Prof. Tony Lazaro then talked about his own research preparations while awaiting the research outputs of the other four institutions, like doing the “Willingness to pay survey” wherein he determined how much people in Metro Manila will be willing to spend in order to visit Sariaya on different activities such as trekking in Mamala, touring the church and the ancestral houses or going to the beach resorts. In the process, he did an inventory of the existing hotels, resorts; inns and the like complete with the ongoing rates, amenities and contact numbers. Likewise, he emphasized on the need to equip, expose and strengthen the Sariaya Tourism Council through seminars and workshop trainings with the expertise of seasoned consultants that they will be bringing to Sariaya from time to time. He requested the Sariaya Tourism Council to determine the dates, as well as the participants for which a list of these workshop trainings that he handed will be scheduled the earliest possible time so they can work things out with the experts concerned.

AIT Professor Toto de la Cruz placed emphasis on the need to have a profile of the different groups that make up the Sariaya Tourism Council umbrella organization. Likewise, he spoke about the importance of establishing sustainable tour packages solely based on the indigenous lifestyle of Sariayahins, and not just adapted or copied from somewhere as is mirrored in the present situation of the so-called tourism in the country today, like the proliferation of too many festivals and street dancing that have nothing to do with the day to day life of the localities concerned.

The validation done in the form of on-hand opinions of the local stakeholders to the reports of each speaker, that prompted candid and animated interactions, proved to be very lively and interesting for everyone. Dean Rodriguez commended and thanked the member representatives of the various organizations within the Sariaya Tourism Council for being so cooperative and honest, which all the more gave the whole UP Research Team the encouragement that they need to go on with their work…a gift to the people of Sariaya, as well as a gift to the University of the Philippines on its centennial year celebrations in 2008.

Professor Tony Lazaro emphasized the need for Sariayahins to grab the rare opportunity that the UP System, through their research offers, care of this landmark study, not only within the country but perhaps in the international scene as well. In his own words, “ NAPAKA SUWERTE PO NINYO DAHIL SA LIBO-LIBONG BAYAN DITO SA BUONG PILIPINAS AY SARIAYA ANG SIYA NAMING NAPILI PARA SIYANG PAG – ARALAN, PARA SA KAUNA-UNAHANG PROYEKTONG PANANALIKSIK NA ITO!” For this landmark study, Sariaya will serve as the model for all similar grassroots-culture based research work on tourism to follow.

STC President Rev. Fr. Andrew S. Hernandez thanked the UP Sariaya Research Team for their landmark efforts at instituting the upliftment of tourism in Sariaya. Everybody was then treated to a hearty afternoon merienda of “Pansit Habhab” and “Turon” or “Sagimis” in Sariayahin lingo. The food for the whole day affair was catered by Anna J’s Restaurant and Catering Services based at the Plaza de Shalom Restaurant in Calle Bonifacio.

Indeed, beautiful and historic Sariaya, the only Mount Banahaw town with a sea coast is very blessed, and we Sariayahins truly have the time in our hands. Let us all work together to help and support the Sariaya Tourism Council in its mandated task inspired by profound dedication to its sworn oath for sustainable progress in this hometown of ours, as the University of the Philippines in Diliman does!

MABUHAY ANG SARIAYA!