Santa Rosa City (or Sta. Rosa City)is a city in the province of Laguna in the Philippines. The city lies just 38 kilometers south of Manila via the South Luzon Expressway.

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

Barangays: 25

Congressional district: 1st district of Laguna

Class:

Up 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 the year 2006.

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

History

Santa Rosa’s historical 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).

Later 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 short lived Filipino-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 1970’s, the town people were largely dependent on basic agriculture and family-owned enterprises for livelihood. The influence of industrialization slowly took shape in the 1980’s 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

External link

• "Municipality of Santa Rosa", Province of Laguna Website (http://www.laguna.gov.ph/Articles/05_28_Santa_Rosa.htm)