Barangay Poblacion I

Situated in Santa Cruz, Occidental Mindoro, Barangay Poblacion I is one of 11 barangays that make up the municipality within MIMAROPA Region.

According to the 2020 Census of Population and Housing conducted by the Philippine Statistics Authority, Barangay Poblacion I had a population of 1,975. This made it the 10th largest of 11 barangays in Santa Cruz by population, placing it among the smaller barangays of the municipality. Residents of Barangay Poblacion I accounted for approximately 4.66% of the total population of Santa Cruz, which stood at 42,417 in the same census year.

Between the 2015 and 2020 censuses, the population of Barangay Poblacion I changed from 1,821 to 1,975, a shift of +8.5% over the five-year period. This places the barangay among those with growing populations in Santa Cruz. The Philippine Statistics Authority classifies Barangay Poblacion I as rural, a designation applied to barangays with lower population density and predominantly non-built-up land use.

Santa Cruz is a municipality comprising 11 barangays, and serves as the governing unit directly responsible for local services in Barangay Poblacion I, including public health, sanitation, peace and order, and civil registration. Within the wider province of Occidental Mindoro, which contains 164 barangays across its component cities and municipalities, Barangay Poblacion I ranks 102nd by 2020 population. Occidental Mindoro is classified as a 2nd 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.