Santa Rosa City, Philippines, The

Santa Rosa City (or Sta. Rosa City) is a 1st class city in the province of Laguna, Philippines. The city lies just 38 kilometers south of Manila via the South Luzon Expressway. According to the 2000 census, it has a population of 185,633 people in 43,625 households.

REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES

City of Santa Rosa

Region: CALABARZON (Region IV-A)

Province: Laguna

Dates:
Founded—
Cityhood—March 10, 2004

Population:
2000 census—185,633
Density—4,748 per km²

Area: 39.10 km²

Coordinates:

Barangays: 25

Congressional districts: 1st district of Laguna

Income Class: 1st class; urban

Until a few years ago, Santa Rosa was mainly known for the Coca-Cola and Toyota manufacturing plants in its industrial estates. More recently it has also become famous for being the site for a local theme park (Enchanted Kingdom) and several housing developments. Santa Rosa is also the exit travellers take along the expressway to go to Tagaytay and Taal Volcano.

Ford Motor Company has a plant here, assembling the Ford Lynx, Ford Tierra, Mazda 323, Ford Escape, and Mazda Tribute.

Robinson mall is stablished here in Santa Rosa City while SM will be also established in 2006.

Santa Rosa became a city by virtue of Republic Act No. 9264, which was ratified by the citizens on March 10, 2004.

Barangays

Santa Rosa City is politically subdivided into 18 barangays.

History

Santa Rosa's past can be traced to 1571 when Spanish Conquistador Juan de Salcedo, while exploring the Laguna Lake region, discovered the town of Biñan which was annexed as a barrio to Tabuco (now the town of Cabuyao).

In 1688, Biñan, together with Barrio Bukol (Santa Rosa, before separation from Biñan) separated from Cabuyao. After a series of renaming, separation of barrios to become independent towns, Barrio Bukol was politically emancipated as the municipality of Santa Rosa. The town was renamed after Saint Rosa of Lima, Peru under whose protection and patronage it was consecrated which was validated by numerous material and spiritual blessings and favors bestowed on the people for the last 207 years.

During the revolutionary period, the town was instrumental in the proclamation of Philippine Independence from Spain when it signed the Act of Independence on June 12, 1898. Later on the town's local revolutionaries fought alongside the forces of General Pio del Pilar during the Philippine-American war.

On February 5, 1945, the town was left abandoned by the Japanese soldiers when the local guerrilla resistance movement, with support from the American military contingent, entered the town proper, where skirmishes, torture, and deaths occurred.

During the post-war era, until the 1970s, the town people were largely dependent on basic agriculture and family-owned enterprises for livelihood. The influence of industrialization slowly took shape in the 1980s with the entry of local and foreign investors who were instrumental in the fast-pace economic and social transformation of the town and the province.