Santa Cruz, Laguna

Santa Cruz, officially the Municipality of Santa Cruz (Tagalog: Bayan ng Santa Cruz), is a 1st class municipality and capital of the province of Laguna, Philippines. According to the 2015 census, it has a population of 117,605 people.[3]

Not to be confused with Santa Cruz La Laguna.
Santa Cruz
Municipality
Municipality of Santa Cruz
Municipal Hall
Seal
Nickname(s): 
Laguna's Capital, The Heartland of Calabarzon
Map of Laguna with Santa Cruz highlighted
OpenStreetMap
Santa Cruz
Location within the Philippines
Coordinates: 14°17′N 121°25′E
Country Philippines
RegionCalabarzon (Region IV-A)
ProvinceLaguna
District4th District
FoundedJune 4, 1602
Barangays26
Government
 [1]
 • TypeSangguniang Bayan
 • MayorEdgar S. San Luis
 • Vice MayorLaarni A. Malibiran
 • CongressmanBenjamin C. Agarao Jr.
 • Electorate25,075 (2019)
Area
 [2]
 • Total38.59 km2 (14.90 sq mi)
Population
 (2015 census)[3]
 • Total117,605
 • Density3,000/km2 (7,900/sq mi)
 • Households
27,061
Economy
 • Income class1st municipal income class
 • Poverty incidence4.57% (2015)[4]
 • Revenue (₱)275,333,981.36 (2016)
Time zoneUTC+8 (PST)
ZIP code
4009
PSGC
043426000
IDD : area code +63 (0)49
Climate typetropical monsoon climate
Native languagesTagalog

Santa Cruz is situated on the banks of the Santa Cruz River which flows into the eastern part of Laguna de Bay. The town is bounded by the Bay on the north, by Lumban and Pagsanjan towns in the east, Pagsanjan and Magdalena towns in the south, and Pila in the west. It is 88 kilometres (55 mi) from Manila via Calamba and Los Baños. It is accessible by land from Metro Manila passing through Rizal Province via Manila East Road or via South Luzon Expressway

Santa Cruz is considered as the service and commercial center on the eastern part of the province. The town is composed of five barangays in the Poblacion area and 21 classified urban barangays. Although relatively far from the immediate urbanizing influence of Metropolitan Manila, Santa Cruz continues to progress. It is now classified as first class municipality. The present administration is headed by the Mayor Egay San Luis. Santa Cruz is also the seat of the provincial government since 1885, giving the municipality an additional administrative function over the entire province. It also functions as the service center for transportation, commerce, health, education, and other social services for the predominantly rural north-eastern municipalities of the province. Boosting the economy of the municipality are the incipient and fast-growing agribusiness industries such as livestock raising, horticulture and aquaculture. The town is composed of twenty-six (26) urban barangays. All barangays are being classified as urban.

The development of Santa Cruz as the administrative, commercial, and service center of Laguna makes it accessible for all private/public vehicles going to nearby places particularly Pagsanjan, Lake Caliraya, Liliw, Paete and Nagcarlan.

History

During the last decade of the 16th century, Santa Cruz was once a well populated barrio of the present municipality of Lumban, as well as other contemporary towns like Pagsanjan, Cavinti, Paete and Pangil. On June 4, 1602, Santa Cruz separated from Lumban and became a pueblo with its church and local government.

Since its foundation in 1602, the town had been ravaged by calamitous forces such as fires, typhoons, floods and human vandalism during the Philippine Revolution of 1896–1899, the war of the Philippine Independence (1899–1902), Battle of Santa Cruz, the assault of the Tulisanes (bandits) during the Spanish times. The Filipino troops of the pre-war 4th and 42nd Infantry Division of the Philippine Commonwealth Army and recognized guerrillas also came from the town and was involved in the Second Battle of Santa Cruz on January 26, 1945.

Characterized by fertile flat lands situated along the coastal plains of Laguna de Bay, the economic base of the town had been traditionally anchored on two primary industries, namely agriculture and fishing which still remain up to the present. In view of the strategic location of Santa Cruz relative to the other coastal settlements about the lake, trading activities have likewise rooted on the town during those early settlement days. The town proper which has always been the focal point of activities used to be accessible to the other lake-shore areas due to the navigable Santa Cruz River aside from the Laguna de Bay itself. Since those early days, water is the principal mode of transportation.

Today, Santa Cruz serves as the capital of Laguna and is considered as the business and commercial center on the eastern part of the province.

Geography
Aerial view with Santa Cruz in the centre and Pila in the foreground

Situated at the central portion of Laguna province along the south-eastern coast of Laguna de Bay, Santa Cruz lies 87 kilometres (54 mi) southeast of Metro Manila via Calamba and is geographically located at approximately 14 degrees 17' latitude and 121 degrees 25' longitude. The municipality is bounded on the north and north-west by Laguna de Bay, on the north-east by Lumban, on the east by Pagsanjan, on the southeast by Magdalena, on the south by Liliw, and on the south-west by Pila. It has 26 barangays and covers approximate land area of 3860 hectares which comprises about 2% of the total land area of Laguna Province.

  • Land Area: 3,860 hectares
  • Residential: 381.97
  • Commercial: 35.96
  • Institutional: 92.17
  • Functional Open Space: 31.27
  • Roads: 157.73
  • Total Built-up: 696.10
  • Agricultural: 3,048.57
  • Special Use: 115.33

Geology

The two types of rocks found in Santa Cruz are alluvium and clastic rocks. Clastic rocks are located at the eastern portion of the municipality specifically in Barangay Alipit, San Jose, Oogong, Jasaan, San Juan, Palasan, and portions of Barangays Pagsawitan, Patimbao, Bubukal, Labuin and Malinao. These rocks consist of inter-bedded shale and sandstone with occasional thin lenses of limestone, tuff, and reworked sandy tuffs, calcareous sandstone and partly tuffaceous shale.

Climate

Like most areas in the province of Laguna, the climate of Santa Cruz is characterized by two pronounced seasons: dry from January to April and wet during the rest of the year. The municipality has annual temperature of 27.2 degree Celsius and annual rainfall of 1962.7mm. Northeasterly winds with an average wind speed of 9 knots prevail in the municipality.

Climate data for Santa Cruz, Laguna
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Average high °C (°F) 26
(79)		 27
(81)		 29
(84)		 31
(88)		 31
(88)		 30
(86)		 29
(84)		 29
(84)		 29
(84)		 29
(84)		 28
(82)		 26
(79)		 29
(84)
Average low °C (°F) 22
(72)		 22
(72)		 22
(72)		 23
(73)		 24
(75)		 25
(77)		 24
(75)		 24
(75)		 24
(75)		 24
(75)		 24
(75)		 23
(73)		 23
(74)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 58
(2.3)		 41
(1.6)		 32
(1.3)		 29
(1.1)		 91
(3.6)		 143
(5.6)		 181
(7.1)		 162
(6.4)		 172
(6.8)		 164
(6.5)		 113
(4.4)		 121
(4.8)		 1,307
(51.5)
Average rainy days 13.4 9.3 9.1 9.8 19.1 22.9 26.6 24.9 25.0 21.4 16.5 16.5 214.5
Source: Meteoblue [5]

Barangays

Santa Cruz is politically subdivided into 26 barangays. [2]

  • Alipit
  • Bagumbayan
  • Bubukal
  • Calios
  • Duhat
  • Gatid
  • Jasaan
  • Labuin
  • Malinao
  • Oogong
  • Pagsawitan
  • Palasan
  • Patimbao
  • Poblacion I
  • Poblacion II
  • Poblacion III
  • Poblacion IV
  • Poblacion V
  • San Jose
  • San Juan
  • San Pablo Norte
  • San Pablo Sur
  • Santisima Cruz
  • Santo Angel Central
  • Santo Angel Norte
  • Santo Angel Sur
Santa Cruz Public Market viewed from Regidor Street near Santisima Elementary School

Demographics
Population census of Santa Cruz
YearPop.±% p.a.
1903 12,747—    
1918 14,156+0.70%
1939 17,649+1.06%
1948 22,534+2.75%
1960 32,850+3.19%
1970 47,114+3.67%
1975 52,672+2.26%
1980 60,620+2.85%
1990 76,603+2.37%
1995 86,978+2.41%
2000 92,694+1.37%
2007 101,914+1.32%
2010 110,943+3.14%
2015 117,605+1.12%
Source: Philippine Statistics Authority[3][6][7][8]

In the 2015 census, the population of Santa Cruz, Laguna, was 117,605 people,[3] with a density of 3,000 inhabitants per square kilometre or 7,800 inhabitants per square mile.

Pedro Guevara Avenue, in front of the Iglesia ni Cristo church (left).
Pedro Guevara Avenue. At left is the Spanish-era Escuela Pía building. The bell tower of the Church of the Immaculate Conception can be seen at the background.

Economy

Annual local government tax collection:

  • 2008 — ₱ 160,196,679.38
  • 2007 — ₱ 135,792,097.46
  • 2006 — ₱ 128,812,429.41
  • 2005 — ₱ 117,351,293.14

Commerce

The provincial capital of Laguna, Santa Cruz serves as service center of the province particularly for the municipalities on its north-eastern part.

Trade and commerce remain to be one of the primary economic activities in the locality. The presence of jeepney services plying Lumban, Paete, Siniloan, San Pablo, Pila, Victoria, Cavinti-Caliraya, Luisiana, Majayjay, Calumpang, Nagcarlan, Liliw, Magdalena, Pagsanjan, Lucban, Lucena and Calamba has further enhanced the municipality's role as a commerce and trade center.

The center of business activities is in the poblacion specifically at Barangay V where the four (4) buildings of Public Market is situated.

Santa Cruz has many establishment that contribute to its development. Development in this vicinity has been a quasi-residential commercial type as manifested by the proliferation of structures which are used both for business and residential purposes by the proprietors/owners. There is also a concentration of business establishments at the section of the national highway/expressway especially Barangay Gatid where a Mall is located, and the abandoned PNR Railway (road) while a strip pattern of commercial development is noticeable along the Quezon Avenue and along the old highway and Pedro Guevarra Avenue. Along P Guevarra Avenue, several establishments are also located such as Hospitals, Meralco office, PLDT office, Red Cross, several Banking Institutions, and Executive Eminent Lending Company. There is also SL Agritech Corporation, in Barangay Oogong, Santa Cruz, Laguna,

Points of interest

Santa Cruz may not have natural tourist spots and no wide areas to develop but one thing the townsmen of Santa Cruz are proud of are the local foods available in the town. Santa Cruz boasts of the famous white cheese or kesong puti, freshly made from carabao's milk.

Events

Santa Cruz hosted the Palarong Pambansa from May 4–10, 2014.[9]

Education

Partial list of schools:

  • Santa Cruz Central Elementary School (The Central School of Santa Cruz)
  • Bagumbayan Elementary School
  • Bubukal Elementary School
  • Calios Elementary School
  • Duhat Elementary School
  • Gatid Elementary School
  • Oogong Elementary School
  • Pagsawitan Elementary School
  • Palasan Elementary School
  • Patimbao Elementary School
  • San Jose Elementary School
  • Santisima Cruz Elementary School
  • Santo Angel Central Elementary School
  • Santo Angel Norte Elementary School
  • Santo Angel Sur Elementary School
  • Silangan Elementary School
  • Pedro Guevara Memorial National High School
  • Basic Christian International School and Special Education Center, Inc.
  • ACTS Computer College
  • AMA Computer University
  • AMA Computer Learning Center
  • Capitol View Christian School
  • Immaculate Conception Catholic College (formerly Don Bosco High School)
  • Laguna Santiago Educational Foundation Inc.
  • Laguna Senior High School
  • Laguna State Polytechnic University
  • Laguna University
  • Little Javannah Montessori School
  • Our Lady of Maulawin Educational Foundation, Inc.
  • Philippine Women's University
  • Maranatha Christian Academy
  • SHARPMINDS Tutorial Center
  • STI College
  • St. Therese Martin of Lisieux School and Business High School
  • United Evangelical Church School
  • Union College of Laguna
  • Southbay Montessori School
  • GOAL-DEN Learners Center
  • iExcel Learning Hub
  • Mind Builders Academy
  • Rabbi Excellent Christian School

Hospitals

Private Hospitals: 4 Rural Health Units: 2 Government Hospital: 1 Health Centers: 26

  • Laguna Medical Center
  • Santa Cruz Laguna Polymedic, Inc.
  • Laguna Doctors Hospital
  • Laguna Holy Family Hospital
  • Jesus the Saviour Hospital

Sister cities

References
  1. "Municipality". Quezon City, Philippines: Department of the Interior and Local Government. Retrieved 31 May 2013.
  2. "Province: Laguna". PSGC Interactive. Quezon City, Philippines: Philippine Statistics Authority. Retrieved 12 November 2016.
  3. Census of Population (2015). "Region IV-A (Calabarzon)". Total Population by Province, City, Municipality and Barangay. PSA. Retrieved 20 June 2016.
  4. "PSA releases the 2015 Municipal and City Level Poverty Estimates". Quezon City, Philippines. Retrieved 1 January 2020.
  5. "Santa Cruz: Average Temperatures and Rainfall". Meteoblue. Retrieved 11 May 2020.
  6. Census of Population and Housing (2010). "Region IV-A (Calabarzon)". Total Population by Province, City, Municipality and Barangay. NSO. Retrieved 29 June 2016.
  7. Censuses of Population (1903–2007). "Region IV-A (Calabarzon)". Table 1. Population Enumerated in Various Censuses by Province/Highly Urbanized City: 1903 to 2007. NSO.
  8. "Province of Laguna". Municipality Population Data. Local Water Utilities Administration Research Division. Retrieved 17 December 2016.
  9. "Laguna wins Palaro hosting bid". SunStar. October 24, 2013.
Preceded by
Pagsanjan		 Capital of Laguna
1858-present		 Succeeded by
Present
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