Barangay Santa Cruz

Situated in San Policarpo, Eastern Samar, Barangay Santa Cruz is one of 17 barangays that make up the municipality within Eastern Visayas.

According to the 2020 Census of Population and Housing conducted by the Philippine Statistics Authority, Barangay Santa Cruz had a population of 370. This made it the 16th largest of 17 barangays in San Policarpo by population, placing it among the smaller barangays of the municipality. Residents of Barangay Santa Cruz accounted for approximately 2.41% of the total population of San Policarpo, which stood at 15,365 in the same census year.

Census comparisons between 2015 and 2020 show Barangay Santa Cruz moving from 367 residents to 370 residents, an intercensal change of +0.8%. The trajectory indicates a slowly expanding community. 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.

San Policarpo is a municipality comprising 17 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 Eastern Samar, which contains 597 barangays across its component cities and municipalities, Barangay Santa Cruz ranks 445th by 2020 population. Eastern Samar is classified as a 2nd by the Bureau of Local Government Finance, a category that reflects the province's annual regular income.

Like every Philippine barangay, Barangay Santa Cruz is led by an elected Punong Barangay (barangay captain) supported by seven Sangguniang Barangay members (kagawads), an SK Chairperson, a Barangay Secretary, and a Barangay Treasurer. The next Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE) are scheduled for Monday, November 2, 2026, with officials serving four-year terms under Republic Act No. 12232.