Santa Maria, Bulacan

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Municipality of Santa Maria Bayan ng Santa Maria
Parish Church of La Inmaculada Concepcion
Flag Seal
Nickname: Egg Basket of the Philippines
Map of Bulacan showing the location of Santa Maria
Coordinates: 14°49.10′N 120°57.38′E / 14.81833, 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-CMD)
- Governor	Joselito R. Mendoza (Kampi)
- Mayor	Bartolome R. Ramos (Lakas-CMD)
- Vice Mayor	Russel Guballa Pleyto (Kampi)
Area
- Municipality	90.92 km² (35.1 sq mi)
Population (2007 census)
- Municipality	205,258
- Density	2,258/km² (5,848.2/sq mi)
- Metro	Manilla
Time zone	PST (UTC+8)
Zip Code	3022
Area code(s)	44
Languages	Tagalog and English
Website: http://www.bulacan.gov.ph/stamaria

Santa Maria is a 1st class urban municipality^[1] in the province of Bulacan, Philippines. The municipality of Sta. Maria lies 32 kilometers northeast of Manila and is located at the eastern portion of Bulacan. It's now conurbated with Metro Manilla. 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).

Contents 1 Geography 1.1 Land Area 1.1.1 Land Use 1.2 Mineral Resources 1.3 Climate 2 History 2.1 Municipal Mayors 3 Tourism 3.1 Historical Places 3.2 Resorts 3.3 Pavilion 3.4 Dining Places 3.5 Sports and Recreation 3.6 Town Fiesta 3.7 Shopping 4 Economy 4.1 Food Processing Industry 4.2 Agro-Industrial Sector 4.3 Cottage Industry 5 Transportation and Communication 5.1 Road Networks 5.2 Transportation 5.2.1 Buses 5.2.2 Public Utility Jeepneys 5.2.3 Others 5.3 Communications 6 Basic Services 6.1 Health 6.2 Animal Health 6.3 Education 6.4 Other Services 7 Notable Personalities 8 Barangays 9 References 10 External links

[edit] Geography

[edit] Land Area

Sta. Maria has a land area of about 9,092 hectares or 90.92 square kilometers. The town is generally plain although hilly at the northern portion. It has a lone body of water - the Sta. Maria River.

[edit] 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.

[edit] 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 town folks.

[edit] Climate

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

[edit] History

Sta. Maria was part of Meycauayan until 1792 when it became a separate pueblo. Sta. Maria was then known as Sta. 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 were 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 - raising project which earned for the town the distinction of being The Egg Basket of the Philippines. He was also the "Father of Sta. 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 Sta. 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 Ramos, 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).

In 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 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.

In 2004 elections, Vice Mayor 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- Sta Maria extension campus in 2005.

In 2007 elections, Bartolome Ramos defeated Mateo in the mayoralty race.

[edit] Municipal Mayors

Mayor		Term
	AGUSTIN MORALES	1928-1934
	PEDRO J. MANSILLA	1938-1940
	TEOFILO SANTIAGO	1941-1945
	IRENEO HERMOGENES	1945
	MARCIANO BAUTISTA	1946-1947
	CONRADO H. IGNACIO	1947-1955
	RICARDO G. NICOLAS, SR	1956-1959
	ERIBERTO RAMOS	1960-1963
	RICARDO G. NICOLAS, SR.	1964-1967
	PAULINO LUCIANO, SR.	1968-1971
	RICARDO D. NICOLAS, JR.	1972-1978
	PAULINO A. LUCIANO, JR.	1978-1986
	DR. ALFREDO M. PEREZ (OIC)	Feb. 1986-May 1986
	RICARDO D. NICOLAS, JR. (OIC)	June 1986-December 1986
	BENJAMIN G. GERONIMO (OIC)	1987-1988
	ATTY. RAMON H. CLEMENTE (OIC)	1988
	ERIBERTO RAMOS	1988-1992
	REYLINA G. NICOLAS	1992-2001
	BARTOLOME R. RAMOS	2001-2004
<!	JESUS MATEO	2004-2007
	BARTOLOME R. RAMOS	Incumbent (2007-2010)

[edit] Tourism

[edit] Historical Places

• La Purissima 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 completed in 1891.
• Huseng Batute Marker
• Francisco Santiago Marker

[edit] Resorts

Sta. Maria has numerous man-made resorts, to name a few: Long Meadows Resort, Dad's Vineyard Resort, and Pamar Wonderpool Resort in M. Parang, Villa Carmen, Villa Antonia and Sitio Lucia Resorts in Pulong Buhangin, 4-K Garden Resort in Barangay Catmon, Lanesca in Barangay Bulac, Cool Water Resort in Barangay Lalakhan, Vig Jam Resort in Barangay Balasing, and Stone Bridge Resort in Barangay Tumana.

[edit] Pavilion

Within the heart of Sta. Maria arise a new pavilion that was built and completed February 2006. It's 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 dubbed from one of the three famous Spaniard friars "Gomburza" where the old street name came from. 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 Sta. Maria, Bulacan.

[edit] Dining Places

The following are the major fast food chain/restaurant in Santa Maria:

Fastfood/Restaurant	Branch/Location
Jollibee	Poblacion
Greenwich Pizza	Poblacion
McDonald's	Poblacion
Chowking	Poblacion
Max's Restaurant	Bagbaguin
Tropical Hut Hamburger	Bagbaguin
Dunkin' Donuts	Poblacion
Mister Donut	Poblacion
Nic's Restaurant	Bagbaguin
Green Pond Restaurant	Bagbaguin
Pista sa Nayon Restaurant	Bagbaguin

[edit] 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 barangay. 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 FFHNAS campus in Barangay Guyong. There are also two badminton courts in the town.^[2] Grace of Shekinah School Gymnasium

[edit] Town Fiesta

Santa Maria is known for its month-long celebration of town fiesta. The town celebrates the feast of its patron saint, La Purissima Concepcion, every first Thursday of February except if it falls on February 2.On the other hand, Pulong Buhangin celebrates its fiesta, in honor of Nuestra Señora del Carmen, every second Sunday after Santa Maria fiesta.

[edit] Shopping

• Santa Maria Public Market
• Pulong Buhangin Wet and Dry Market
• Tropical Hut Supermarket (Bagbaguin)

[edit] Economy

Major Industries
Pyrotechnics, Food/Food Processing, Furniture, Garments, Footwear, Metalcraft, Poultry and Hog Raising, Textile, Rattan
Major Products
Garments, Chicharon, Noodles, Balut, Sweet Preserves, Bakeries, Processed Meat, Dairy Products
Commercial Banks
Philippine National Bank Land Bank of the Philippines (Bagbaguin) Banco de Oro Bank of the Philippine Islands Equitable PCI Bank Metrobank Philippine Savings Bank Planters Development Bank
Rural Banks
[Hiyas Banking Corporation][1] (Head Office - Market Site, Poblacion Branch) Santa Maria Rural Bank (Poblacion, Bagbaguin & Pulong Buhangin) Farmers Bank (Pulong Buhangin)

Sta Maria is predominantly agricultural. However, commercialization and industrialization is fast developing in the municipality. At present, there are more than 2,000 registered commercial establishments, most of them are in Barangays Poblacion, Pulong Buhangin, and Bagbaguin. There are more than 30 banking and financial institutions in Sta. Maria. These includes commercial, savings and rural banks.

Barangays Bulac (where the Sta. Maria Industrial Park is located)Catmon and Guyong are the industrial areas of Sta. Maria.

[edit] Food Processing Industry

There are about 80 food processing establishments in Sta. 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.

[edit] Agro-Industrial Sector

Industrial activities in Sta. 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 120 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 Sta. 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.

[edit] Cottage Industry

• There are 11 furniture- making establishments in the town.

• 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 2004, there are 154 pyrotechnics manufacturers in the municipality.

• There are 5 textile and 102 garment factories operating in Santa Maria.

[edit] Transportation and Communication

[edit] Road Networks

Important road networks in Sta Maria are as follows:

• Bocaue-San Jose Road - connecting Sta. Maria to the city of San Jose del Monte and Bocaue;
• Sta. Maria By-Pass Road;
• Norzagaray-Sta. Maria Road- connecting Sta. Maria to the towns of Angat and Norzagaray;
• Santa Clara-Pandi Road- connecting Santa Maria to the towns of Pandi, Balagtas, Bustos and Baliuag;
• the Manila North Road (Mac Arthur Highway) ;
• Sta. Maria - Tungkong Mangga Road- a vital provincial road which links the City of San Jose del Monte to town of Santa Maria.
• the North Luzon Expressway (through Bocaue Exit).

[edit] Transportation

[edit] Buses

The following are the bus companies that ply through the primary roads of Santa Maria, Bulacan.

Bus	Points of Origin/Terminal	Destination	Classification
Philippine Corintian Liner	Garden, Pulong Buhangin, Sta. Maria	Ayala, Makati - Baclaran, Parañaque City via NLEX-EDSA	Air conditioned
Erwin Line	Angat- Norzagaray	Ayala, Makati - Baclaran, Parañaque City via NLEX-EDSA	Air conditioned with television
Nuestra Señora del Carmen	Garden, Pulong Buhangin, Sta. Maria	Ayala, Makati - Baclaran, Parañaque City via NLEX-EDSA	Air conditioned with television
Aguila Bus / Santa Monica Transportation	Angat town proper	Divisoria, Manila via NLEX- Rizal Avenue	Ordinary Bus
Mersan Bus/Bagong Silang Bus	Sapang Palay/ Guyong, Sta. Maria - Santa Cruz, Manila	Doroteo Jose Street,Santa Cruz, Manila via NLEX- A. Bonifacio Avenue	Mini-bus/ordinary

NOTE: Buses and trucks are not allowed in the town proper.

[edit] Public Utility Jeepneys

Terminal	Destination	Minimum Fare
Metro Manila:Monumento, Caloocan City Santa Maria:Nicolas Park, Poblacion	Monumento - Santa Maria via NLEX[1]	PHP 35.00 (fixed)
Metro Manila:Monumento, Caloocan City Santa Maria:Nicolas Park, Poblacion	Monumento - Santa Maria via Mac Arthur Highway.[2] Metro Manila North: Malabon - Fatima, Valenzuela City - Karuhatan, Valenzuela - Malinta, Valenzuela Bulacan South: Meycauayan, SM City Marilao - Tabing Ilog, Marilao - Lolomboy, Bocaue - Joners, Bocaue; - Bocaue Toll Exit - Bagbaguin, Santa Maria and vice-versa.	PHP 7.00 (first four kilometers)
Malolos;Bulacan State University Mac Arthur Highway gate Santa Maria:Nicolas Park, Poblacion	Malolos City - Tabang, Guiguinto - Santa Maria and vice-versa (via NLEX)	PHP 24.00 (fixed)
Plaridel/ Pulilan: near Pulilan Public Market Santa Maria:Nicolas Park, Poblacion	Pulilan-Plaridel - Santa Rita Exit, Guigunto - Santa Maria and vice versa (via NLEX)	PHP 24.00 (fixed)
Baliuag: Cagayan Valley Road Santa Maria: Santa Maria Public Market	Baliuag - Bustos- Pandi- Manggahan, Santa Maria - Santa Cruz, Santa Maria - Santa Clara, Santa Maria - Santa Maria town proper and vice versa	PHP 7.00 (first four kilometers); Pandi - Santa Maria (PHP 10.00); Bustos-Santa Maria (PHP 25.00); Baliuag-Santa Maria (PHP 26.00)
Sampol, Sapang Palay, City of San Jose del Monte: Sampol Market, CSJM Santa Maria:Nicolas Park, Poblacion	Sapang Palay, CSJM - Dulong Bayan, CSJM - Bulac, Santa Maria - Catmon, Santa Maria - San Jose Patag, Santa Maria - Santa Maria town proper and vice versa.	PHP 7.00 (first four kilometers)
Muzon, San Jose del Monte City Santa Maria: Nicolas Park, Poblacion	Muzon, CSJM; - San Jose del Monte City Proper - San Vicente, Santa Maria - Santa Maria town proper and vice versa.	PHP 7.00 (first four kilometers)
Norzagaray, Bulacan Santa Maria: Nicolas Park, Poblacion	Norzagaray - Partida, Norzagaray - Pulong Yantok, Angat, Pulong Buhangin,Santa Maria - Caypombo, Santa Maria - Guyong, Santa Maria - Dulong Bayan, Santa Maria - Santa Maria town proper and vice versa.

1. ^ Jeepneys plying the North Luzon Expressway route are available until 12 midnight.

2. ^  available for 24 hours.

[edit] Others

Utility vans plying the San Fernando, Pampanga- Santa Maria, Bulacan (via NLEX) route are also available.

Tricycles are available for twenty-four hours.

[edit] Communications

Communication facilities in Sta. Maria are provided by the government telegraph (BUTEL) and postal system and by the Radio City Telephone Company (RACITELCOM), Digitel telephone Company, and the three major cellular companies (Smart Communications,Globe Telecom,and Sun Cellular).

[edit] Basic Services

Number of Schools
Polytechnic University of the Philippines Santa Maria extension campus
Literacy Rate	97%
Pre-Elementary [2003]:	Public: 25 Private: 17
Elementary [2003]:	Public: 31 Private: 17
Secondary [2003]:	Public: 4 Private: 15
Tertiary [2007]:	Public: 2 Private: 3

[edit] Health

Sta Maria has one government-run hospital (Cong. Rogaciano 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; and Mateo's Diagnostc Clinic & Gen. Hospital).

[edit] Animal Health

Sta. Maria also has Veterinary clinics. One located at Don Juan Santiago Subdivision, Dulong Bayan ( jna Animal Clinic )and one at Kaypumbo ( Animal Pet Corner Center ).

This clinics handles small animals as well as livestock. Services range from simple to major surgeries( c. section, neutering etc.), microchip implantation "Petichip", vaccinations, laboratory works (heartworm check, parvo/distemper test, blood biochem profile, urinalysis, CBC, x-ray etc.), confinements, emergency cases, grooming and etc.

[edit] Education

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

College/University	Location
Polytechnic University of the Philippines Santa Maria Extension	Pulong Buhangin
Fortunato F. Halili National Agricultural School	Guyong
STI College - Santa Maria	Poblacion
Immaculate Conception International College of Arts and Technology- Santa Maria	Poblacion
Asian College of Science and Technology - Santa Maria	Poblacion
St. Joseph College of Bulacan	San Jose Patag

The following are the private schools in Santa Maria, Bulacan:

College/University	Location
Grace of Shekinah School	Jose P. Rizal St., Poblacion
Mater Dei Academy
St.Paul School-Santa Maria	Poblacion, Sta. Maria, Bulacan
Sacred Heart Academy	Dr. T. Santiago St., Poblacion
Early Christian School
Gloria Marizz Academy
Child Jesus Montessori

Likewise, there are four government high schools in the municipality:

• Pulong Buhangin National High School
• Parada High School
• Fortunato F. Halili National Agricultural School (High School Department)
• Santa Maria Agro-Industrial High School

[edit] 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 Sta. Maria. All twenty-four (24) barangays of the municipality are electrified.

[edit] 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.
• José Corazón de Jesús, Huseng Batute - Filipino poet
• Angel Locsin -filipina actress
• Christine Mendoza- import car model

[edit] Barangays

Santa Maria is subdivided into 24 barangays:

Barangay	Area ( in square kilometer )
Bagbaguin	7.6358
Balasing	6.3713
Buenavista	2.4647
Bulac	5.2009
Camangyanan	2.4761
Catmon	8.2860
Caypombo	4.1626
Caysio	3.1198
Guyong	3.6191
Lalakhan	0.3354
Mag-asawang Sapa	1.1327
Mahabang Parang	1.0466
Manggahan	1.6386
Parada	4.0669
Poblacion (Santa Maria town proper)	2.8032
Pulong Buhangin	14.3817
San Gabriel	3.6787
San Jose Patag	2.5218
San Vicente	7.2537
Santa Clara	2.1470
Santa Cruz	2.2705
Silangan	0.9387
Tabing Bakod (Santo Tomas)	1.2530
Tumana	2.1202

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• Santa Maria, My Kind of Town
• Official Website of the Municipality of Santa Maria, Bulacan
• Philippine Standard Geographic Code
• 2000 Philippine Census Information
• www.abs-cbnnews, Ex-Bulacan mayor held for estafa