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Municipality of Santa Cruz, Ilocos Sur

Sta. Cruz, the second southernmost town of Ilocos Sur has a colorful and bloody past. In 1601 there was already a settlement built by the Ilocanos beside the Patupec River. This river is located north of the present town. The sturdy Ilocanos built it after a victorious battle with the Igorots who were then called "mindayas". These mindayas tried to conquer the "minlauds," as the Ilocanos were called, but because of their courage and valor, they were able to drive back the Igorots to the mountains.

The settlement was called "Taripnong" probably because the houses were built close together and because of their strong unity. It later got renamed "Napinget" which means fearless and strong willed or determined. At the coming of the Spaniards, Napinget was already flourishing community. The people did not want to be ruled by the Spaniards so they took up arms but their number and inferior weapons were futile. They were defeated and made vassals by Juan de Salcedo, grandson of Legaspi, the conqueror of Manila.

After their defeat the Spaniards put up a big cross on the top of a hill in the settlement. The Spanish church was later built and became the center of the town.The three Rajas or leaders of these Ilokanos together with their followers were Christianized. Their pagan name called "Guiyeb", "Madayag" and "Salamban" became their Christian names. And the settlement then came to be called pueblo of Santa Cruz.

It has a land area of 101.6 square kilometers and a population of 34,433. It is bounded in the north by Santa Lucia and Salcedo; Sigay and Gregorio del Pilar in the east; Tagudin and Suyo in the south; and china Sea in the west.

updated last February 25, 2003