Barangay Santa Cruz

Barangay Santa Cruz forms part of Javier, a municipality in Leyte, and is classified as a small barangay.

According to the 2020 Census of Population and Housing conducted by the Philippine Statistics Authority, Barangay Santa Cruz had a population of 928. This made it the 12th largest of 28 barangays in Javier by population, placing it in the middle tier of the municipality. Residents of Barangay Santa Cruz accounted for approximately 3.48% of the total population of Javier, which stood at 26,658 in the same census year.

The barangay recorded 552 residents in the 2015 intercensal count and 928 residents in the 2020 Census — a net change of +68.1%, consistent with a growing settlement. The Philippine Statistics Authority classifies Barangay Santa Cruz as rural, a designation applied to barangays with lower population density and predominantly non-built-up land use.

Javier is a municipality comprising 28 barangays, and serves as the governing unit directly responsible for local services in Barangay Santa Cruz, including public health, sanitation, peace and order, and civil registration. Within the wider province of Leyte, which contains 1,641 barangays across its component cities and municipalities, Barangay Santa Cruz ranks 690th by 2020 population. Leyte 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.