Santa Cruz, Laguna

For the other places named "Santa Cruz" in the Philippines, see Santa Cruz (disambiguation).

Not to be confused with Santa Cruz La Laguna.

Santa Cruz, officially the Municipality of Santa Cruz (Tagalog: Bayan ng Santa Cruz), is a municipality and capital of the province of Laguna, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 123,574 people.^[5]

Santa Cruz
Municipality
Municipality of Santa Cruz
Municipal Hall
Flag Seal
Nickname(s):  Laguna's Capital, The Heartland of Calabarzon, Santa Cruz the Land of Star
Motto(s):  Bayan natin, Sama-Samang Unahin, Santa Cruz, Kaya natin to! Arriba Kabisera! ("Our town, let's put it first together, Santa Cruz, we can do it! Arriba Capital!")
Anthem: Himno ng Santa Cruz
Map of Laguna with Santa Cruz highlighted
OpenStreetMap
Santa Cruz Location within the Philippines
Coordinates: 14°17′N 121°25′E
Country	Philippines
Region	Calabarzon
Province	Laguna
District	4th district
Founded	September 6, 1602
Named after	Holy Cross
Barangays	26 (see Barangays)
Government  [1]
• Type	Sangguniang Bayan
• Mayor	Benjo Agarao (PFP)
• Vice Mayor	Laarni A. Malibiran (Independent)
• Representative	Benjamin Cueto "Benjie" Agarao Jr. (PFP)
• Municipal Council	Members 1st: Ambiel John C. Panganiban (Aksyon) 2nd: Lea A. Almarvez (PFP) 3rd: Norman T. Tolentino (Aksyon) 4th: Esmeraldo C. De Las Armas Jr. (PFP) 5th: Rizaldy N. Kalaw (PFP) 6th: Mark Anthony P. Joven (Independent, Detained) 7th: Lucena R. Odejar (Aksyon) 8th: Alan T. Pamatmat (Aksyon, Suspended) ABC President: Laura P. Obligacion Calios SK President: Mark Anthony M. Juangco San Pablo Norte
• Electorate	80,643 voters (2025)
Area [2]
• Total	38.59 km2 (14.90 sq mi)
Elevation	12 m (39 ft)
Highest elevation	54 m (177 ft)
Lowest elevation	0 m (0 ft)
Population  (2024 census)[3]
• Total	126,844
• Density	3,300/km2 (8,500/sq mi)
• Households	31,029
Demonym(s)	Santa Cruzeño (masculine) Santa Cruzeña (feminine)
Economy
• Income class	1st municipal income class
• Poverty incidence	9.75 % (2021)[4]
• Revenue	₱ 519.5 million (2022)
• Assets	₱ 505 million (2022)
• Expenditure	₱ 493.4 million (2022)
• Liabilities	₱ 141 million (2022)
Service provider
• Electricity	Manila Electric Company (Meralco)
Time zone	UTC+8 (PST)
ZIP code	4009
PSGC	0403426000
IDD : area code	+63 (0)49
Native languages	Tagalog
Major religions	Catholicism Aglipayan Church Protestantism Islam
Feast date	December 8 (Feast of the Immaculate Conception) June 4 (Feast of the Our Lady of Maulawin)
Ecclesiastical dioceses	Diocese of San Pablo (Catholic) Diocese of Laguna (Aglipayan Church)
Patron saints	Immaculate Conception (Catholic) Our Lady of Maulawin (Aglipayan Church)

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 municipality. The present administration is headed by the Mayor Benjo Agarao. 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

Spanish colonial period

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 September 6, 1602, Santa Cruz separated from Lumban and became a pueblo with its church and local government. For being in an unhealthy state, the center of the town was moved in 1608 to where it is today.^[6]

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^[7] and the assault of the tulisanes (bandits) during the Spanish period.

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 Laguna de Bay itself. Since those early days, water is the principal mode of transportation.

World War II

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.

Modern period

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

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
Mean daily maximum °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)
Mean daily minimum °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[8]

Barangays

Map of Santa Cruz, Laguna

Santa Cruz is politically subdivided into 26 barangays, as indicated below. ^[9]

• 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

Demographics

Population census of Santa Cruz

Year	Pop.	±% 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%
2020	123,574	+1.05%
2024	126,844	+0.63%
Source: Philippine Statistics Authority[10][11][12][13][14][15]

In the 2020 census, the population of Santa Cruz, Laguna, was 123,574 people,^[16] with a density of 3,200 inhabitants per square kilometre or 8,300 inhabitants per square mile.

Economy

Poverty incidence of Santa Cruz

2.5 5 7.5 10 12.5 15 2000 14.31 2003 7.31 2006 3.40 2009 2.33 2012 5.25 2015 4.57 2018 1.98 2021 9.75 Source: Philippine Statistics Authority[17][18][19][20][21][22][23][24]

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.

Tax collection

Annual local government collection:

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

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.

• Immaculate Concepcion Parish Church (Catholic)
• Cathedral of the Our Lady of Maulawin (Aglipayan Church)
• Emilio Jacinto Shrine Burial Site
• Villa Valenzuela
• Santa Cruz Town Plaza
• Provincial Capitol of Laguna

Gallery

• 
  Aerial view with Santa Cruz in the centre and Pila in the foreground
• 
  Laguna Provincial Capitol
• 
  Rizal Monument
• 
  Santa Cruz Public Market viewed from Regidor Street near Santisima Elementary School
• 
  Pedro Guevara Avenue, in front of the Iglesia ni Cristo church.
• 
  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.

Events

Santa Cruz hosted the Palarong Pambansa from May 4–10, 2014.^[25]

Festivals

• Kesong puti Festival — April 4–11
• Anilag Festival — March 8–17

List of Mayors

No.	Name	Party		Elec.	Term start	Term end	Vice mayor
1	Rufo de Borja (1930−2014)		Liberal	1965	December 30, 1965	June 30, 1980		Romeo Ramos
			Nacionalista	1967				Enrique Bautista
				1971
			KBL
2	Enrique Bautista (Born 1932)		KBL	1980	June 30, 1980	May 23, 1986[26]		Jose Uriarte
			Independent
			Nacionalista
–	Oscar Feliciano[27] (died 2013)		Independent	—	May 25, 1986	February 1, 1988		Romeo Ramos[28]
3	Rodolfo San Luis (1946–2010)		Lakas	1988	February 2, 1988	June 30, 1995		Reynaldo Limjuco
			LDP	1992				Ruy Lopez
4	Domingo Panganiban (1948–2021)		LDP	1995	June 30, 1995	November 20, 1995		Narciso Infante
(2)	Enrique Bautista (Born 1932)		Lakas–CMD		November 17, 1995	June 30, 1998
(4)	Domingo Panganiban (1948–2021)		LAMMP	1998	June 30, 1998	June 30, 2007		Heidi Ciriaco
			LDP	2001				Ariel Magcalas
				2004
5	Ariel Magcalas (born 1965)		Liberal	2007	June 30, 2007	June 30, 2010		Alan Pamatmat
(4)	Domingo Panganiban (1948–2021)		PMP	2010	June 30, 2010	June 30, 2019		Louie C de Leon
			Liberal	2013
				2016
6	Edgar San Luis (born 1955)		Nacionalista	2019	June 30, 2019	June 30, 2025		Laarni Malibiran
			Aksyon	2022
			NUP

Elections

2022 Santa Cruz local elections

2022 Santa Cruz Mayoral election

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Aksyon	Edgar San Luis(Incumbent)	33,062	50.97
	PDP–Laban	Benjamin Agarao Jr.	31,809	49.03
Total votes			64,871	100.00
	Aksyon hold

2022 Santa Cruz Vice mayoral election

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	PROMDI	Laarni Malibiran (Incumbent)	37,099	59.74
	Aksyon	Louie De Leon	24,997	40.26
Total votes			62,096	100.00
	PROMDI hold

2019 Santa Cruz local elections

2019 Santa Cruz Mayoral election

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Nacionalista	Edgar San Luis	25,075	48.09
	PDP–Laban	Benjo Agarao	23,547	45.16
	KDP	Ariel Magcalas	3,521	6.75
Total votes			52,143	100.00
	Nacionalista hold

2019 Santa Cruz Vice mayoral election

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	KDP	Laarni Malibiran	23,149	45.38
	Nacionalista	Domingo "Dennis" Panganiban	15,189	29.78
	PDP–Laban	Rizaldy "Pasirit" Kalaw	12,669	24.84
Total votes			51,007	100.00
	KDP hold

2016 Santa Cruz local elections

2016 Santa Cruz Mayoral election

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Liberal	Domingo Panganiban	32,605	69.07
	UNA	Ariel Magcalas	14,604	30.93
Total votes			47,209	100.00
	Liberal hold

2016 Santa Cruz Vice Mayoral election

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Liberal	Louie De Leon	25,836	55.99
	UNA	Efren Diaz	20,306	44.01
Total votes			46,142	100.00
	Liberal hold

2013 Santa Cruz local elections

2013 Santa Cruz Mayoral elections

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Liberal	Domingo Panganiban (Incumbent)	21,770	54.73
	Independent	Ramon Tan	9,187	23.10
	UNA	Ariel Magcalas	8,821	22.18
Total votes			41,598	100.00
	Liberal hold

2013 Santa Cruz Vice mayoral election

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Liberal	Louie De Leon	25,909	71.02
	Independent	Bryan Lateo	10,571	28.98
Total votes			41,598	100.00
	Liberal hold

2010 Santa Cruz local elections

2010 Santa Cruz Mayoral election

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	PMP	Domingo Panganiban	15,908	37.92
	Liberal	Benjamin Agarao Jr.	13,867	33.06
	Lakas–Kampi	Ariel Magcalas	12,175	29.02
Total votes			41,950	100.00
	PMP hold

2010 Santa Cruz Vice mayoral eoection

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Lakas–Kampi	Louie De Leon	18,315	46.32
	NPC	Roselon Pamatmat	12,495	31.60
	Liberal	Alan Pamatmat	8,728	22.07
Total votes			44,091	100.00
	Lakas–Kampi hold

Education

Kindergarten schools Public: 35 Private: 12 Elementary (primary and intermediate) Public: 16 Private: 11 High schools Public: 2 Private: 6

Colleges: Public: 2 Private: 8 Vocational Public: 1 Private: 2 Number of students Elementary: 15,291 High school: 8,155 Tertiary: 10,914

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
• Maranatha Christian Academy of Santa Cruz, Laguna
• Our Lady of Maulawin Educational Foundation, Inc.
• Philippine Women's University
• 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

Vehicle

• Jeepney
• UV Express
• Tricycle

Bus lines

• HM Transport
• JAC Liner
• Lucena Lines
• DLTBCo

Notable people

• Gen. Juan Cailles - first Filipino Military Governor of Laguna, teacher, soldier, and public servant
• Gen. Agueda Kahabagan - first Filipino female General of 1st Republic of the Philippines
• Rustico de los Reyes Jr. – Member of the Philippine Constitutional Commission of 1986 and former member of the Regular Batasang Pambansa
• Pedro Guevara - soldier, legislator, lawyer and writer
• Eduardo Quisumbing - National Scientist of the Philippines for Plant Taxonomy, Systematics, and Morphology
• Emil Q. Javier, National Scientist of the Philippines for Agriculture, and 17th President of the University of the Philippines
• Nena Saguil - modernist and abstract art painter
• Socorro Ramos – entrepreneur and co-founder of National Book Store, the largest bookstore chain in the Philippines
• Carmina Villarroel - actress, TV presenter
• Gov. Felicisimo T. San Luis - former Provincial Governor of Laguna (1960–1992)
• Jacinto Vallenzuela - former Mayor (1926–1929)
• Rodolfo S. San Luis - former Mayor and Representative of the 4th District of Laguna
• Edgar San Luis - former Mayor (2019–2025) and Representative of the 4th District of Laguna (2007–2013)
• Henry Bautista - former Mayor (1995–1998)
• Domingo G. Panganiban - former Mayor (1998–2007; 2010–2019)

Sister cities

• Makati, Philippines