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Municipality of Santa Maria Bayan ng Santa Maria
—  Municipality  —
Parish Church of La Immaculada Concepcion
Seal
Nickname(s): Egg Basket of the Philippines
Motto: Santa Maria, Sa pag-unlad, Kasama Ka! (Santa Maria Progresses with You!)
Map of Bulacan showing the location of Santa Maria
Coordinates: 14°49.10′N 120°57.38′E / 14.8183°N 120.95633°E / 14.8183; 120.95633
Country	Philippines
Region	Central Luzon
Province	Bulacan
Barangays	24
Congressional District	4th
Founded	1792
Government
- Representative, 4th Congressional District	Reylina G. Nicolas (Lakas-Kampi-CMD)
- Governor	Roberto M. Pagdanganan (Nacionalista)[1]
- Mayor	Bartolome R. Ramos (Lakas-Kampi-CMD)
- Vice Mayor	Russel Guballa Pleyto (Lakas-Kampi-CMD)
Area
- Municipality	90.92 km2 (35.1 sq mi)
- Land	89.88 km2 (34.7 sq mi)
- Water	1.04 km2 (0.4 sq mi)  1.15%
- Urban	28.16 km2 (10.9 sq mi)
Elevation	16.972 m (56 ft)
Population (2007 census)
- Municipality	205,258
- Density	2,257.56/km2 (5,847.1/sq mi)
- Metro	Manila
Time zone	PST (UTC+8)
- Summer (DST)	Manila (UTC)
Zip Code	3022
Area code(s)	44
Languages	Tagalog and English
Website	Official Website of the Municipality of Santa Maria, Bulacan

Santa Maria or Sta. Maria, is a 1st class urban municipality^[2] in the province of Bulacan, Philippines. The municipality of Santa Maria lies 32 kilometers northeast of Manila and is located at the eastern portion of Bulacan. The town is bounded on the north by the municipalities of Angat and Pandi; portion of San Jose del Monte City on the south; Norzagaray and other portions of San Jose del Monte on the east; and the municipalities of Marilao and Bocaue on the western side. Santa Maria is 18 kilometers away from Malolos City, the provincial capital, and 38 kilometers from City of San Fernando, Pampanga, the regional center of Central Luzon.

According to the 2007 census, it has a population of 205,258 inhabitants (144,282 people in 29,886 households in census 2000)

Geography

Land Area

Sta. Maria has a land area of about 9,092.5 hectares or 90.925 square kilometers. The town is generally plain although hilly at the northern portion. It has a lone body of water - the Santa Maria River.

Land Use

Basically agricultural, about 29.02 km² or 30.54% of the town's land area is devoted to crop production. Approximately 26.66 km² of riceland in Santa Maria are rain-fed and 2.36 km² are irrigated. An area of 32.74 km² are classified as non- productive agricultural area or open grasslands.

Mineral Resources

The town has rich deposits of gravel and sand and volcanic tuff or adobe. Quarrying has been a good source of livelihood among the citizens.

Climate

The prevailing climatic conditions in the municipality is categorized into two (2) types: wet and dry season.

The annual mean temperature in the area is 27.7°C. The warmest month is May with a mean temperature of 29.9°C while the coldest is January at 25.2°C.

The mean annual relative humidity in the area is 77% which is not high. The mean monthly relative humidity is lowest in March at 64% and highest in September at 84%.

Demographics

According to the 2007 Census, the population of Sta. Maria grew by 60,976 from 144,282 in 2000 to 205,258 in 2007, making it the third biggest LGU in Bulacan in terms of population and the 12th largest in the country. The municipality has a population density of 2,257.56 per km².

Religion

The majority of the population are Christians. Roman Catholicism is the dominant religion with 91%^[4] of the populace professed themselves as Roman Catholics. Other religious groups with strong presence in the municipality are the following: Iglesia ni Cristo, Jehovah's Witness, Jesus Is Lord Church and other evangelical or "born-again" groups, Pentecostal, Islam, and others.

Residential

There are about 45 subdivisions in the municipality of low, medium and high density category. The existing residential hub occupies 1,360 hectares (13.60 km²) of land distributed unevenly in its 12 barangays. These subdivisions used to occupy the stretch of the roads but now they are now developing the inner portions of their barangays. It is expected that within the next ten years, land use development in Santa Maria will represent the sub-urban mix which means that the government will provide development where the level of accessibility is very high. This will provide for the clustering of lower density land uses to help meet housing, employment and public services needs of the people. ^[4]

History

Santa Maria Welcome Arc, Bocaue-Santa Maria boundary.

Altar of the La Inmaculada Concepcion Parish Church.

Santa Maria town proper.

Santa Maria was part of Meycauayan until 1792 when it became a separate pueblo. Santa Maria was then known as Santa Maria de Pandi. In 1793, the seat of the civil affairs was established in the Poblacion. Andres dela Cruz was appointed "gobernadorcillo" (little governor). There were 82 gobernadorcillos or capitanes who served the Spanish colonial administration from 1793 to 1899 with Pascual Mateo as the last.

Under the Americans, the title "captain" was changed to "presidente". The first to hold the position was Maximo Evidente who served from 1899-1900. Of the 12 others who succeeded him, the most popular were Agustin Morales (1928-1934) and Fortunato F. Halili (1934-1937). Morales was responsible for the construction of the first main water system in the town. Halili, who never drew his salary as executive, later on became Governor of Bulacan.

During the Japanese Occupation, Dr. Teofilo Santiago, dubbed as Dr. Kamoteng Kahoy for his widespread campaign among the town's citizenry to plant cassava, became mayor of Santa Maria. Santiago was also responsible for the launching of the poultry - a raising project which earned for the town the distinction of being The Egg Basket of the Philippines. He was also the "Father of Santa Maria Dairy Plant". After the Liberation, Capitan Ireneo Hermogenes was appointed Municipal Mayor from March 20, 1945 to October 1945. He was succeeded by Marciano Bautista.

The post-liberation period saw Conrado Ignacio as the first elected Mayor of Santa Maria (1947-1955). He was succeeded by prominent personalities in Santa Maria local politics such as Ricardo G. Nicolas Sr. (1956-1959/1964-1967), Eriberto Ramos, Sr. (1960-1963), Paulino M. Luciano Sr. (1968-1971), Ricardo D. Nicolas, Jr.(1972-1978) and Paulino Luciano, Jr. (1979-1986).

After the People Power Revolution in February 1986, President Corazon Aquino appointed Dr. Alfredo Perez, who was then the vice-mayor of the town, as Officer-in-Charge of the municipality until May, 1986, when he was replaced by Ricardo Nicolas, Jr. In December 1986, however, Nicolas was appointed OIC Vice Governor of Bulacan and was succeeded by Benjamin G. Geronimo (1987-1988) and Atty. Ramon H. Clemente (1988).

During the 1988 election, Eriberto Ramos was elected Mayor and served until June 30, 1992. On July 1, 1992, he was succeeded by Reylina G. Nicolas. Under the Nicolas administration, Santa Maria rose from a third-class municipality to a first class municipality. In the 2001 elections, Nicolas ran for Congresswoman of the 4th Congressional District of Bulacan and won a landslide victory with more than 80,000 votes over her closest rival. Nicolas was succeeded by Bartolome R. Ramos.

During the 2004 elections, Jesus Mateo defeated the incumbent Ramos and became mayor of the municipality until 2007. One of Mateo's accomplishments as mayor of Santa Maria was the establishment of the Polytechnic University of the Philippines - Santa Maria extension campus in 2005.

Santa Maria today

Development

Traffic congestion is a perennial problem in Santa Maria.

A street in Poblacion.

Twenty years ago, Santa Maria was a little-known rustic area north of Metro Manila with a rural economy that took advantage of the surrounding agricultural areas.

Today, Santa Maria's position as a growth center in the eastern portion of Bulacan covering the most densely populated City of San Jose del Monte and the municipalities of Norzagaray, Marilao, Bocaue, Angat, Pandi, and Dona Remedios Trinidad (pop. 1,148,927) makes the municipality one of the most progressive in Bulacan.

From an idyllic, sleepy community, Santa Maria is steadily transforming into a bustling industrial and commercial hub. It is currently considered as the wealthiest municipality in Bulacan with an income of P278M (2008).

Income

This is the list of the top income earner in Bulacan from 2006-2008:

Source: Commission on Audit (COA)

• Annual Financial Report as of 2006.pdf - Province and Cities and Municipalities
• Annual Financial Report as of 2007.pdf - Cities and Municipalities
• Annual Financial Report as of 2008 - Province and Cities[1]

Government

Municipal Officials (2007-2010)

Santa Maria Bulacan Municipal Hall.

Mayor: Hon. Bartolome R. Ramos [2]

Vice-Mayor: Hon. Russel G. Pleyto [3]

Councilors

• Hon. Anselmo Ferdinand B. Adriano [4]

• Hon. Rico Jude P. Sto. Domingo [5]

• Hon. Marisa T. Tuazon [6]

• Hon. Esperanza G. Ramos [7]

• Hon. Khristopher G. Martinez [8]

• Hon. Lailanie P. Aguilar [9]

• Hon. Virgilio E. Victolero [10]

• Hon. Simplicio E.J. Hermogenes [11]

• ABC President: Rodolfo D. Casas [12]

• SK Chairman: Joseph Patrick R. Serapio [13]

Mission

To attain this vision, Santa Maria's government is committed in pursuing the following:

• Promotion and maintenance of a safe, orderly and clean environment
• Encourage people's participation
• Responsive, transparent and capable government. ^[4]

Municipal Mayors

Festivals

The celebration of the town fiesta in the municipality is a month long celebration in February highlighted with festivities like musical variety shows, performed by popular personalities, outdoor sports exhibitions of national acclaimed players, concert at the park by well known bands and cultural shows presented by the Santa Maria Dep. Ed family.

Most notable during the month of February is the availability of the famous "Tuge", a ready to eat root crop sold by vendors that signify the ambiance of the festivity together with the cool breeze which last right after the celebration of the town fiesta.

Tourism

Historical Places

• La Immaculada Concepcion Parish Church, built in 1613 by Rev. Gerocino Vasquez and destroyed during the Chinese uprising of 1639. It was rebuilt and completed in 1669. However, it succumbed to an earthquake in 1880. It was again rebuilt and was completed in 1891.
• Huseng Batute Marker
• Francisco Santiago Marker

Pavilion

Within the heart of Santa Maria is a new pavilion that was built and completed on February 2006. It is now the central pillar of all happy family celebrations that catered to all its citizen and neighboring town folks. Its famous name "Casa Burgos" was derived from one of the three famous Spaniard friars collectively known as "Gomburza", which was also the origin of an old street's name in Santa Maria, namely Padre Burgos Street (now C. Ignacio Street). Visitors and guests are awed by its lush and beautiful garden setting that became the focal point of most garden weddings and the likes. A place to visit when you are in Santa Maria, Bulacan.

Another pavilion was later built at barangay Bagbaguin, it is much larger than Casa Burgos and can cater to a larger number of people. It has an ample parking space, and has a smaller pavilion for smaller groups. The place was called Grace Harbour.

Sports and Recreation

Sports and recreation activities in the locality are usually basketball, softball, bowling, badminton, tennis and chess. The most common sports and recreational facilities in the town are basketball courts located in school compounds and in other part of 24 barangays. These courts also serve as multi-purpose pavements. A tennis court and a gymnasium named after the late Ricardo D. Nicolas, Jr. was constructed at the FFHNAS campus in Barangay Guyong. There are also two badminton courts in the town.

Jollibee Santa Maria

Shopping

Waltermart Sta. Maria at night.

Santa Maria has one public wet and dry market, the Pamilihang Bayan ng Sta. Maria, in Poblacion and several private wet and dry markets (one each in Caypombo and in Pulong Buhangin).

On February 25, 2009, Waltermart Sta. Maria, the first shopping mall in the municipality, formally opened. The mall is located in Barangay Sta. Clara. The mall has a supermarket (Waltermart Supermarket IGA), department store (mi Department Store), school and office supplies store (Expressions), bookstore (National Bookstore), drugstore (Mercury Drug), 3 state-of-the-art cinemas, hardware (Handyman), and several restaurants (Jollibee, KFC, Chowking, Mang Inasal, Greenwich, etc.)

Aside from Waltermart, Sta Maria has several supermarkets and convenience stores in Barangays Poblacion and Bagbaguin: Three (3) branches of Mercury Drug, 7-Eleven, Reby's Store, C. P. Pineda Supermarket, Hipolito Supermarket, Antonio's Mini Mart, etc.

Economy

Sta. Maria is predominantly agricultural. However, commercialization and industrialization is fast developing in the municipality. At present, there are more than 5,300 registered commercial establishments, most of them are in Barangays Poblacion, Pulong Buhangin, Caypombo, Sta. Clara, and Bagbaguin. There are more than 30 banking and financial institutions in Sta. Maria. These includes commercial, savings and rural banks.

On March 3, 2003, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo issued Presidential Proclamation No. 337 designating the Sta. Maria Industrial Park as a Special Economic Zone (Ecozone).^[5]

Major Industries

A. Agriculture

Crop Production

Rice, orchard products (such as mangoes,star apple or caymito, tamarind and other fruit bearing fruits), corn and vegetables are the major agricultural produce of the municipality.

Livestock and Poultry Raising

Among the livestock reared and tendered in the municipality are hogs and cattle while poultry farm housed chickens and ducks

Fisheries

Although a landlocked municipality, Santa Maria is able to produce fresh water fishes such as tilapia. Some fifty-eight (58) families from Pulong Buhangin, Sta. Cruz, San Jose Patag, Caysio, Bulac, Catmon, Balasing, Camangyanan, Sta Cruz, and San Gabriel are engaged in fisheries production^[6]

B. Food Processing

Rush hour traffic at Barangay Bagbaguin, a highly urbanized barangay located south-west of the municipality.

There are about 36 food processing establishments in Santa Maria. Of these are bakeries/bakeshops, ice-cream/ice-drop factories, native delicacy makers, 2 sweet preserve processors, sitsaron factories, noodle factories, and balot producers.

Among the biggest food processors are Jess-Nor, Dunkin Donuts, DELFI, Integrated Food Manufacturing Corporation and Sapporo Noodles Factory.

Agro-Industrial Sector

Industrial activities in Santa Maria are mostly agro-based. For the past two decades, there has been a great boom in its poultry and hog raising industries. Presently, there are around more than 150 poultry and piggery farms.

The boost in agri-business necessitated the establishment of feed mills and feed trading centers. Now, there are eight commercial feed mills and 15 feed trading centers operating in the town.

There are 20 rice mills in Santa Maria that accommodate the milling and storage needs of the farmers for their palay harvest. The rice brunts (darak production) of these mills complement the feed requirements of the livestock raisers.

Cottage Industry

• There are 10 furniture-making establishments in the town.

Others

• Santa Maria is also noted for its firework industry which is globally competitive. Its pyrotechnics producers ranked 9th in the World Fireworks Competition held at Macau in 1997. As of 2005, there are 28 pyrotechnics manufacturers in the municipality.
• There are 5 textile and 87 garment factories operating in Santa Maria.
• There are 41 water purifying stations operating in the municipality.
• There are 9 rubber industries in the municipality.

Transportation and Communication

Bridges

As of 2004, Santa Maria has a network of ten (10) bridges passing rivers and other waterways of the town. All are made of reinforced concrete design girders which are in good condition and passable.

Communications

Communication facilities in Santa Maria are provided by government telegraph (BUTEL), postal system, the Philippine Long Distance and Telephone Company (PLDT), Radio City Telephone Company (RACITELCOM), Digitel telephone Company, the three major cellular companies (Smart Communications, Globe Telecom, Sun Cellular) and two MVNO: (Talk N' Text and Touch Mobile).

Basic Services

Health

Santa Maria has one government-run hospital (Congressman Rogaciano Mercado Memorial Hospital) and seven private hospitals (Garden Village Country Hospital; Santiago Pediatric Hospital; Ed & Tita Cruz Maternity and Surgical Hospital; Mendoza General Hospital; St. Mary's Hospital; Mateo's Diagnostc Clinic & Gen. Hospital; and AJIA Diagnostic Clinic).

Animal Health

Santa Maria also have Veterinary Clinics to name a few: "JNA Animal Clinic" and Mendoza Veterinary Clinic in Poblacion, and the Animal Pet Corner Center in Caypombo.

These veterinary clinics handle farm animals and pets. Services range from simple to major surgeries (c. section, neutering etc.), microchip implantation "Pet-ichip", vaccinations, laboratory works (heartworm check, parvo/distemper test, blood biochem profile, urinalysis, CBC, x-ray etc.), confinements, emergency cases, grooming and etcetera.

Peace and Order

Santa Maria is generally peaceful being served by 37 policemen and 15 firemen. The backlog of manpower requirement is complemented with 480 barangay tanods coming from 24 barangays. Crime incidence is low with 37 cases reported and 33 case were solve resulting to 89.19% crime solution efficiency. ^[4]

Other Services

Water supply is provided by LWUA (Local Water Utilities Administration) through the Sta. Maria Water District.

The Manila Electric Company (MERALCO) serves the energy needs of Santa Maria. All twenty-four (24) barangays of the municipality are electrified.

Education

Number of Schools
Polytechnic University of the Philippines Santa Maria extension campus
Literacy Rate	98%
Pre-Elementary [2003]:	Public: 25 Private: 17
Elementary [2007]:	Public: 31 Private: 31
Secondary [2007]:	Public: 4 Private: 30
Tertiary [2007]:	Public: 2 Private: 3

The following are institutions of higher learning found in Sta. Maria, Bulacan:

Notable Personalities

• Francisco Santiago - Ama ng Kundiman
• Fortunato Halili - Governor of Bulacan
• Rogaciano Mercado - a veteran legislator who served under five presidents of the Philippines (from Magsaysay to Aquino). Minister of Public Works under President Corazon C. Aquino until November 1986
• Reylina Nicolas - Congresswoman of the 4th district of Bulacan
• José Corazón de Jesús, Huseng Batute - Filipino poet
• Aaron Junatas - child actor (ABS-CBN)
• Jolina Marie B. Reyes - A child actress, also known as Krystal Reyes
• Angel Locsin - Actress, commercial model
• Pol Caguiat † - GMA DZBB reporter and former municipal councilor

Barangays

Land Area

Santa Maria is subdivided into 24 barangays. All 24 barangays are urbanized:

Map of Sta. Maria.

Sister Cities & Municipalities

These are Santa Maria's sister cities and municipalities with strong relationship and partnership.

• Angat, Bulacan, Philippines
• Bocaue, Bulacan, Philippines
• Doña Remedios Trinidad, Bulacan, Philippines
• Malolos City, Bulacan, Philippines
• Marilao, Bulacan, Philippines
• Meycauayan City, Bulacan, Philippines
• Norzagaray, Bulacan, Philippines
• Pandi, Bulacan, Philippines

Notes

• This municipality is also the location of GMA Network's 2009 Christmas Drama: Sana Ngayong Pasko.

See also

• Barangay Bagbaguin, Santa Maria, Bulacan
• Barangay Catmon, Santa Maria, Bulacan
• Barangay Guyong, Santa Maria, Bulacan
• Barangay Lalakhan, Santa Maria, Bulacan
• Barangay Mag-asawang Sapa, Santa Maria, Bulacan
• Barangay Pulong Buhangin, Santa Maria, Bulacan
• Barangay Santa Clara, Santa Maria, Bulacan
• Bartolome Ramos
• Fortunato F. Halili Avenue
• Fortunato F. Halili National Agricultural School
• Jose Corazon de Jesus
• Legislative districts of Bulacan
• Pulong Buhangin National High School
• P.U.P. Santa Maria Extension
• Waltermart Santa Maria

	San Roque, Pandi, Bulacan	Pulong Yantok, Angat, Bulacan	Partida, Norzagaray, Bulacan
	Batia, Bocaue, Bulacan		Norzagaray, Bulacan
		Santa Maria, Bulacan
	Turo, Bocaue, Bulacan	Patubig, Marilao, Bulacan	Dulong Bayan, San Jose del Monte

References

External links

• Santa Maria, My Kind of Town
• Official Website of the Municipality of Santa Maria, Bulacan
• Santa Maria Map | Philippines Google Satellite Maps
• NSCB - ActiveStats - PSGC Interactive - Municipality: SANTA MARIA
• 2000 Philippine Census Information
• Philippines Factory Explosion Kills 12 - Wall Street Journal