Santa Cruz

Not to be confused with Santa Cruz la Laguna

Santa Cruz is a town, the capital of Laguna province. It is a transport hub for the rest of eastern Laguna.

Understand

The town is established from the barrios (or barangays in modern times) of then-larger Lumban by the Spaniards on 1862. The town's history is filled with disasters, from typhoons, floods, and numerous battles. Santa Cruz have been a scene of battles during the Philippine Revolution, the Philippine–American War, and the Pacific War; the town has since recovered and now the economic and transportation hub of eastern Laguna.

Get in

By bus

Santa Cruz is well served by buses from the major provincial bus terminals in Metro Manila; travel times take about 2 hours (or more with traffic jams), including a major stop in Calamba.

• DLTB provides frequent half-hourly departure from the company's Buendia (Pasay) and Cubao (Quezon City) terminals.
• Jac Liner (formerly Greenstar Express) provides 30-minute departures from their terminal at Taft/Buendia in Pasay.
• HM Liner and Worthy Transport has hourly departures to their terminal in Pagsanjan; buses leave from Cubao or Alabang (South Station). Alabang-bound buses include two stopovers in Calamba: Mayapa and SM Calamba/Crossing.

Average fares are ₱40 from Calamba, ₱140 from Alabang, ₱170 from ﹰBuendia, and ₱190 from Pasay.

See

• 1 Laguna Provincial Capitol, Pedro Guevarra Avenue. 8AM-5PM. Houses the provincial government offices, some parks, and festival grounds. The neoclassical capitol building at the entrance is designed by American architect and urban planner William Edward Parsons. (updated Dec 2018)
• 2 Immaculate Conception Parish Church (Santa Cruz Church), Pio Valenzuela Street. Baroque church built in 1603 but destroyed during the liberation of the Philippines at the end of the Pacific War in 1945 (updated Dec 2018)

Do

• Kesong Puti Festival - Showcases the local product kesong puti (white cheese)

Sports

• 1 Laguna Sports Complex, Calumpang-Santa Cruz Road, Bubukal. Part of the Laguna University complex, it hosts major sporting events held in Laguna. (updated Dec 2018)

Buy

• 1 Sun Star Mall, ☏ +63 49 557-1490. 10AM-8PM. Has fast food chains and a Walter Mart supermarket. (updated Dec 2018)

Sleep

• 1 San Victorina Pension House, Camachile Street. From ₱2,060. (updated Dec 2018)

Go next

You can take a jeepney to Nagcarlan. Tricycles from that town can take you to nearby Liliw, a resort town, with a downtown showcasing a vibrant shoe and slipper industry.

Routes through Pagsanjan

Calamba ← Pila ←

W  E

→ Pagsanjan