Barangay Santa Cruz (Pob.)

Barangay Santa Cruz (Pob.) is a mid-sized barangay in the municipality of Bato, located in the province of Camarines Sur, in the Bicol Region region of the Philippines.

According to the 2020 Philippine census, Barangay Santa Cruz (Pob.) had a population of 3,079. This made it the 4th largest of 33 barangays in Bato by population, placing it among the most populous barangays of the municipality. Residents of Barangay Santa Cruz (Pob.) accounted for approximately 5.90% of the total population of Bato, which stood at 52,155 in the same census year.

The barangay recorded 2,864 residents in the 2015 intercensal count and 3,079 residents in the 2020 Census — a net change of +7.5%, consistent with a growing settlement. Barangay Santa Cruz (Pob.) is officially classified as rural, a designation applied to barangays with lower population density and predominantly non-built-up land use.

Bato is a municipality comprising 33 barangays, and serves as the governing unit directly responsible for local services in Barangay Santa Cruz (Pob.), including public health, sanitation, peace and order, and civil registration. Within the wider province of Camarines Sur, which contains 1,063 barangays across its component cities and municipalities, Barangay Santa Cruz (Pob.) ranks 164th by 2020 population. Camarines Sur is classified as a 1st by the Bureau of Local Government Finance, a category that reflects the province's annual regular income.

The barangay's legislative and executive affairs are handled by a Punong Barangay and the Sangguniang Barangay, elected nationwide during the Barangay and SK Elections. The next BSKE is scheduled for Monday, November 2, 2026, following the synchronized election schedule set by COMELEC Resolution No. 11191.