Santa Cruz, Davao del Sur facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Santa Cruz
Municipality
Municipality of Santa Cruz
Municipal Hall
Flag Seal
Map of Davao del Sur with Santa Cruz highlighted
OpenStreetMap
Santa Cruz Location in Philippines
Country	Philippines
Region	Davao Region
Province	Davao del Sur
District	[[{{#property:P7938}} | — Lua error in Module:Wd at line 1804: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value).]]
Founded	October 5, 1884
Barangays	18 (see Barangays)
Government
• Type	Sangguniang Bayan
Area
• Total	319.91 km2 (123.52 sq mi)
Elevation	53 m (174 ft)
Highest elevation	539 m (1,768 ft)
Lowest elevation	0 m (0 ft)
Population  (2020 census)
• Total	101,125
• Density	316.105/km2 (818.707/sq mi)
• Households	26,424
Economy
• Income class	1st municipal income class
• Poverty incidence	18.24 % (2021)
• Revenue	₱ 456 million (2020)
• Assets	₱ 2,155 million (2020)
• Expenditure	₱ 456.5 million (2020)
• Liabilities	₱ 1,459 million (2020)
Service provider
• Electricity	Davao del Sur Electric Cooperative (DASURECO)
Time zone	UTC+8 (PST)
ZIP code	8001
PSGC	[https://psa.gov.ph/classification/psgc/?q=psgc/barangays/{{#pro000&regcode={{&provcode= p {{#property:P988}} ]
IDD : area code	+63 (0)82
Native languages	Davawenyo Cebuano Obo Kalagan Tagalog Ata Manobo
Website	stacruz.gov.ph}

Santa Cruz, officially known as the Municipality of Santa Cruz, is a first-class municipality in the province of Davao del Sur, Philippines. In 2020, about 101,125 people lived there. It is also part of the larger Metropolitan Davao area.

History of Santa Cruz

Santa Cruz is the oldest municipality in its province. It was founded on October 5, 1884. This was 36 years after Davao, its "mother city," was founded by Don José Uyanguren from Guipúzcoa, Spain.

Early Spanish Settlement

Around 1880, Spanish explorers and missionaries tried to settle in the area. They wanted to spread Christianity in what is now Barangay Poblacion. However, the local people had a strong Islamic faith. The missionaries were not able to convert them. To mark this, the angry explorers planted a cross under a shelter. The town's name, Santa Cruz, comes from this cross. Over the years, some locals did become Christians. Angel Rodriguez, the Spanish Governor-General of Davao, later took control of the area.

American Arrival and Growth

The Americans arrived in Davao in the early 1900s. This happened after Spain lost the Spanish–American War. About 14 years later, Santa Cruz started to grow economically. However, its neighbor, Davao City, grew much faster.

On March 16, 1936, Davao City became one of the first two cities in Mindanao. The other was Zamboanga City. This was because Davao City had faster economic and agricultural growth.

World War II and After

In 1942, the Japanese invaded the Philippines. Santa Cruz suffered a lot during the Japanese occupation. But Davao City continued to grow economically. Local Filipino fighters, called guerrillas, and soldiers from the Philippine Commonwealth Army kept attacking the Japanese forces.

In 1945, Filipino and American troops, including the guerrillas, fought the Japanese. They freed the town. After the war, many people from Santa Cruz moved to Davao City to find better jobs. Even so, Santa Cruz continued to grow, but at a slower pace.

Changes in Town Boundaries

Almost three years after the Philippines became independent in 1946, two new towns were created from Santa Cruz. These were Padada (on July 15, 1949) and Digos (on July 19, 1949).

In the 1960s, a new municipality called Roxas was planned. It would include areas like Inauayan, Darong, Astorga, Coronon, and Sibulan. However, the Supreme Court of the Philippines stopped this plan. Creating Roxas would have caused problems for Santa Cruz.

Digos, one of the towns that broke off, became the capital of the new Davao del Sur province in 1967. Thirty-three years later, Digos became a city. It is now the most populated city in the province, not counting Davao City.

Becoming a City?

On October 5, 2013, Santa Cruz celebrated its 129th anniversary. On this day, local leaders and people shared a new goal: for Santa Cruz to become a city. This is because many large companies, like San Miguel Corporation, are located there.

The town's buildings and roads have improved a lot. It has also met most of the requirements to become a city, especially for its income and land area. If Santa Cruz becomes a city, it is expected to see even more industrial growth.

Geography of Santa Cruz

Santa Cruz is located in the northern part of Davao del Sur. Davao City is to its north, and the city of Digos is to its south. After some parts were separated to form new towns, Santa Cruz now has 27,960 hectares of land. This is about 6.7% of Davao del Sur's total land area. Forests cover 60% of the land. The remaining area includes 8 coastal barangays.

The total land area of Santa Cruz is about 28,759.7855 hectares. This is about 7.31% of the province's area. Among its 18 barangays, Sibulan is the largest. It covers 6,390.6581 hectares, or 22.22% of the total land area. Poblacion Zone III is the smallest, with only 105.3148 hectares.

Land Features

Santa Cruz has many mountains and high areas. Part of Mount Apo, the highest mountain in the Philippines, is in the southern, central, northern, and northwestern parts of the municipality. The rough central area slowly becomes flatter towards the coastal plains. These plains are in the northeastern, eastern, and southeastern parts. Along the coast of Davao Gulf, you can see many coconut plantations and towns. In the west, a plateau stretches towards Barangay Kapatagan in Digos. The elevation in Santa Cruz ranges from 10 to 2,939 meters above sea level.

Climate and Weather

Santa Cruz has good weather all year, with both wet and dry seasons. It is also outside the path of typhoons. Generally, November to April are dry months, and May to October are wet. This weather is common in the flat and coastal areas. In the mountainous barangays, rain is spread out more evenly throughout the year. Often, it rains heavily in the afternoon, but the sun shines in the morning.

Barangays (Villages)

Santa Cruz is divided into 18 smaller areas called barangays.  Each barangay has smaller sections called puroks, and some have sitios.

• 7 of the barangays are in the uplands (high areas).
• 9 are a mix of upland, lowland, and coastal areas.
• 2 are lowland and coastal areas.

Population and Languages

Languages Spoken

The main languages spoken in Santa Cruz are Davaoeño, Tagalog, Mansakan, and English.

Economy and Industries

Agriculture

Farming is a big part of the economy. The top crop grown is coconut, followed by banana and sugarcane. Other important crops include corn, coffee, and vegetables. Santa Cruz also grows valuable fruits like mango, lanzones, and durian. Cattle farming is the leading livestock production.

Fisheries

Santa Cruz has a 24-kilometer long coastline along Davao Gulf. This area is rich in fish and is great for aquaculture, which is farming seafood.

Mining and Forestry

There are deposits of sulfur ore, rock phosphate, guano, limestone, and materials for cement. These resources are not yet used for commercial or industrial purposes. The large forest areas have tropical evergreen trees and other timber. Rattan, bamboo, and other climbing plants are also found in large amounts.

Major Industries

The main industries in Santa Cruz are growing bananas and coconuts, and seaweed cultivation.

Tourism and Fun Activities

Rizal Park, Santa Cruz

Passig Islet

Santa Cruz is a popular place for tourism in Southern Mindanao. It offers eco-cultural and adventure activities. The local government and private businesses work together to protect the environment.

• Sibulan - Mount Apo Trail: In 1880, a group led by Don Joaquin Rajal successfully climbed Mount Apo using the Sibulan Trail in Santa Cruz. When you hike this trail, you can try the exciting Boulder Face challenge to reach the summit of the Philippines' highest peak.

• Sibulan River White Water Tubing: For an adrenaline rush, you can go tubing down the fast-moving Sibulan River. You'll use inflated rubber tire tubes to ride the strong water currents.

• Tibolo Cultural Village: Here, you can learn about the unique culture of the Bagobo-Tagabawa Tribe. You'll also get amazing views of Mount Apo, Davao City, and Davao Gulf.

• Bato and Tagabuli Seascape: Passig Islet in Barangay Bato and the Tagabuli Sea Rock Garden have white sand beaches. They are perfect for island hopping, scuba diving, and fishing. You can also see how the mountain and coastal ecosystems are connected.

Other beautiful places to visit include the Passig Islet Agro Eco Park and Tudaya Falls.

Events and Festivals

• Pista sa Kinaiyahan: This event happens every last week of April. It's a way to celebrate Mother Nature. People plant trees, clean up areas, and take part in the Boulder Face challenge.

• Araw ng Santa Cruz: This festival is celebrated every October 5. It marks the day the municipality was officially created in 1884. The celebration includes parades, field demonstrations, trade fairs, carnivals, and traditional parties. For example, October 5, 2024, was a special non-working holiday to celebrate its 140th anniversary.

• Sinabbadan Festival: This festival, celebrated every September, features ethnic rituals and dances.

Getting Around Santa Cruz

Santa Cruz is easy to reach by land. Vehicles travel on the national highway that goes through 11 of its barangays. This highway connects Davao to Digos, Kidapawan City, Cotabato City, Koronadal City, and Tacurong City.

From Davao City, the main center of Region XI, Santa Cruz is about 38 kilometers away. It takes about 45 minutes to get there. From Digos, the provincial capital, it's only about 16 kilometers or a 15-minute ride.

You can also reach Santa Cruz by air and water. The international airport and seaports are located in Davao City. For land travel, Santa Cruz has an Overland Transport Terminal. The national highway is paved with concrete. It connects Santa Cruz to Davao City and General Santos City. It also links to nearby provinces like South Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, Maguindanao, and Cotabato Province.

Jeepneys and buses are commonly used for longer routes across the town. Inside the poblacion (town center) and nearby barangays, tricycles are the most common way to get around. Bikes are used for fun and sports.

Famous People from Santa Cruz

• Nesthy Petecio, an Olympic medalist in boxing.
• Ronald dela Rosa, a politician and former police general.

See also

In Spanish: Santa Cruz (Dávao del Sur) para niños