Sta. Cruz

Santa Cruz is a 2nd class municipality located on the northern edge of the province of Zambales, Philippines. According to the latest census, it has a population of 52,202 people in 9,754 households.

The town has both public and private schools, including those run by religious organizations, foundations and individuals. The Ramon Magsaysay Polytechnic University (RMTU) - Sta. Cruz Campus is part of the RMTU SYstem operating in the whole Zambales Province, offering undergraduate and graduate degrees in Educational Teaching and other courses. Columban College - Sta. Cruz campus is part of the Columban College System controlled by the Roman CatholicDiocese of Iba, headed by the Bishop of Diocese of Iba. Sta. Cruz Academy is a parochial secondary school operated and controlled by St. Michael the Archangel Parish of Sta. Cruz. The Sta. Cruz High School is operated by the local government and there are Lipay High School and Guisguis National High School.

History

At the beginning of the 17th century, in the year 1612, the town of “Sigayan”, now Sta. Cruz, was found in the Sitio of Tambobong, which is now within the jurisdiction of the municipality of Dasol, Pangasinan. It is said that when the first Spanish missionaries arrived at the Sitio, they asked the natives the name of the place, but the latter, thinking that the strangers were asking for the name of the shells that were found in abundance on the seashore, answered “Sigayan”. Hence the name. The Catholics of the town later built a church which was placed under the charge of Fr. Alonzo de San Agustin. One day, many years later, a Negrito by the name of Ytahat killed the priest whose sermon on the church’s pulpit was mistaken for insults directed at the natives. This incident forced the founders of the town to transfer the town sitio to another place, the sitio of “Salasa “, which is now within the jurisdiction of the barrio of Bayto, perhaps because they feared of further depredations by the savage Negritoes. This town was named “Alinsaog”, found at the beginning of the 18th century, whose ruins could still be seen up to the present. The town site remained in this place until the later part of the 19th century when it was abandoned by the natives because of the overflowing of the Bayto River which brought death and destruction to the inhabitants. The natives had to move to another townsite, the present location of the municipality. Years later, the people of this town found the image of St. Michael, from among the debris carried by the floodwaters of the Bayto River years back. They forthwith place a cross on the spot where they found the Holy image on which they built the present church and named the town Santa Cruz.

Religion

Church of Sta. Cruz, Zambales.

Scenic places

Hermana Mayor Island

Tingson Beach Resort

Maniwaya Beach (Boracay of the future)

Barangays

Babuyan

Bangcol

Bayto

Biay

Bolitoc

Bulawon

Canaynayan

Gama

Guinabon

Guisguis

Lipay

Lomboy

Longos

Lucapon North

Lucapon South

Malabago

Naulo

Pagatpat

Pamonoran

Poblacion North

Poblacion South

Sabang

San Fernando

Tabalong

Tubotubo North

Tubotubo South