City profile · Santa Rosa City, Laguna
Explore Santa Rosa
Two centuries as a lakeside barrio of Biñan, a farming and fishing town, an industrial anchor of Laguna, and since 2004 a city in its own right.
This profile covers the city's history, geography, people and economy. Every claim traces to an authoritative source; anything we cannot verify is labeled or left out.
Last verified FreshSanta Rosa at a glance
The city's core figures · each carries its source.
18
Barangays
Source: City Government of Santa Rosa · About Us
5,543 ha
Land area
Source: City Government of Santa Rosa · About Us
2004
Cityhood
Plebiscite July 10, 2004 · RA 9264
Source: Republic Act No. 9264
414,812
Population (2020 census)
PSA 2024 census: 430,920
Source: PSA 2020 Census via PhilAtlas
From Barrio Bukol to Modern Santa Rosa
The city government's published historical timeline, from its days as a sitio of Biñan called Barrio Bukol through cityhood in 2004 and today's growth, edited only for length, never for substance.
1571
Barrio Bukol
Spanish conquistador Juan de Salcedo explored the Laguna Lake region. Santa Rosa was then part of Biñan (annexed to the town of Tabuco, now Cabuyao) and was called Barrio Bukol.
Photo: Better Santa Rosa CityBetter Santa Rosa City (CC BY-SA 4.0)1688
Separation from Cabuyao
Biñan, together with Barrio Bukol, separated from Cabuyao.
1792
Municipality of Santa Rosa founded
Barrio Bukol was politically emancipated on January 18, 1792 as the municipality of Santa Rosa, named after Saint Rose of Lima.
Photo: Better Santa Rosa CityBetter Santa Rosa City (CC BY-SA 4.0)1898
Philippine Independence
Santa Rosa was instrumental in the proclamation of Philippine Independence; municipal representatives signed the Act of Independence on June 12, 1898. Local revolutionaries later fought alongside the forces of General Pio del Pilar in the Filipino-American War.
1935
Sakdalista Revolt
Agrarian unrest culminated in a bloody revolt by farmers of Santa Rosa and Cabuyao on May 3, 1935; about 30 people died and rebel leaders including Henerala Salud Algabre were imprisoned before receiving amnesty.
1945
Liberation
Santa Rosa was liberated by members of the Filipino guerilla resistance movement on February 5, 1945 after Japanese occupation during World War II.
Photo: Better Santa Rosa CityBetter Santa Rosa City (CC BY-SA 4.0)1993
First-class municipality
Santa Rosa became a first-class town when its income reached ₱54.2 million in 1993.
2004
Cityhood
Santa Rosa became a city on July 10, 2004 following a plebiscite, by virtue of Republic Act No. 9264.
Photo: Better Santa Rosa CityBetter Santa Rosa City (CC BY-SA 4.0)2019
Lone congressional district
Republic Act No. 11395, signed August 28, 2019, separated Santa Rosa from Laguna's first district to form its own congressional district, first electing a representative in 2022.
2024
FY2024 revenue reaches ₱6.251B
COA-reported revenue reached ₱6.251 billion in FY2024; the PSA 2024 census recorded a population of 430,920.
2025
Civic complex MOU and smart city push
Ayala Land and the city government signed a memorandum of understanding for a planned Santa Rosa Civic Complex in Nuvali; the VITRO Santa Rosa data center was inaugurated; and the city published its 2025 Voluntary Local Review of SDG progress.
Photo: Better Santa Rosa CityBetter Santa Rosa City (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Geography & Laguna Lake
Santa Rosa's 18 barangays fall into three geographic groupings. A lakeside band fronts Laguna de Bay; the Lowland Urban barangays line the National Highway corridor and the old town center; and the Upper / Tagaytay barangays climb the ridge toward the Silang, Cavite boundary.
Three barangays face the lake: Aplaya, Caingin and Sinalhan, the shoreline communities whose fishing grounds sustained the settlement long before industrialization.
Aplaya
Laguna LakeLakeside barangay fronting Laguna de Bay.
15,858 residents (2020)
Barangay profile →Caingin
Laguna LakeLakeside barangay fronting Laguna de Bay.
24,481 residents (2020)
Barangay profile →Sinalhan
Laguna LakeLakeside barangay fronting Laguna de Bay.
26,274 residents (2020)
Barangay profile →
Economy & modern identity
The timeline tells the arc plainly: when Santa Rosa's income reached ₱54.2 million in 1993 it became a first-class municipality; eleven years later it was a city. By FY2024, Commission on Audit-reported revenue reached ₱6.251 billion.
Santa Rosa sits along the South Luzon Expressway corridor at the southern edge of the Metro Manila growth belt, and its industrial identity is anchored by named, sourced developments: the Toyota Special Economic Zone in Pulong Santa Cruz; the Nuvali estate in the upland barangays, where Ayala Land and the city signed a 2025 memorandum of understanding for a planned Santa Rosa Civic Complex; and the VITRO Santa Rosa hyperscale data center inaugurated in April 2025.
Tourism is anchored by Enchanted Kingdom in Balibago, while the Spanish-era Cuartel de Santo Domingo marks the city's upland edge.
Honest gap: detailed industrial-park inventories, employment counts, and visitor statistics are not yet compiled here from authoritative sources. Only claims tied to the cited datasets above are shown.
Landmarks & destinations
The places the city's own records and sourced profiles name.
- Theme park
Enchanted Kingdom
Theme park in Barangay Balibago along the National Highway corridor · the city's signature visitor attraction.
Barangay Balibago → - Historic site
Cuartel de Santo Domingo
A Spanish-era Guardia Civil bastion near the Silang, Cavite boundary, in the upland barangay of Santo Domingo.
Barangay Santo Domingo → - Mixed-use estate
Nuvali
The Ayala Land mixed-use estate in the city's upland barangays; Barangay Don Jose covers part of the development area.
Barangay Don Jose →
Sources & verification
Every statement on this page traces to one of the records below, or to the per-barangay sources in the barangays dataset. Claims we cannot tie to an authoritative source are labeled or omitted.