Santa Cruz, Marinduque Mayor Marisa Red’s Development Vision: Creating Jobs and Livelihoods Through Tourism and Creative Industries
For Santa Cruz, Marinduque Mayor Marisa Red: “Tourism when planned right, can create jobs and livelihood”. Santa Cruz, Marinduque, is betting on a bold development strategy. Under Mayor Marisa Red-Martinez, investments in healthcare, infrastructure, and creative industries are turning the town’s cultural heritage into an engine for jobs and sustainable growth. Can a focus on local empowerment and tourism transform this rural municipality into a model for economic resilience? Holy Tuesday in the usually quiet town of Santa Cruz fills the streets with a rare and lively energy. From every corner of the town center, speakers play solemn, almost haunting hymns that echo through the narrow streets. Around the plaza, small groups of locals slip into carefully crafted costumes, transforming themselves into centurions, saints, and disciples for the town’s annual Moriones Parade. Each costume reflects years of tradition and countless hours of meticulous handiwork by local artisans who have, for days, filled workshops with the sounds of stitching, cutting, and painting. Crowds gather early, staking out good vantage points along the route. Restaurants and small food stalls bustle with business as families prepare for the long procession, and hotels—some booked months in advance—are filled to capacity with visitors from across the country. The Lenten festival has become more than a celebration of faith; it has turned into a national cultural event that showcases local talent and craftsmanship. In recent years, Santa Cruz has emerged from obscurity to become a key destination, drawing visitors eager to witness its unique traditions. Moriones penitents from the Santa Cruz Centurions organization pose by the town’s decades-old municipal hall after the Holy Tuesday Gunita Parade where they join local officials and residents in costumes depicting ancient and biblical civilizations. But the story here goes beyond the pageantry. This cultural revival and economic activity are the results of deliberate steps taken by Mayor Marisa Red-Martinez, who, through a combination of social programs, infrastructure investment, and public works, has made events like the Gunita Parade more than just local celebrations. Her initiatives to improve healthcare, bolster public services, and enhance local livelihoods have laid the groundwork for these events to flourish and for tourism to grow as a viable economic engine. Tourism and creative industries are often lauded as catalysts for local economies, offering a path to sustainable prosperity for regions rich in cultural assets but short on traditional industrial opportunities. Yet, transforming a community into a hub for tourism or creative enterprise is no simple task. It requires more than promoting picturesque landscapes or hosting vibrant cultural festivals. The formula for success demands solid foundations—well-functioning social services, reliable infrastructure, and public investment—all of which are necessary to enable local populations to contribute to, and benefit from, economic growth. Without these essentials, tourism and creative sectors remain mere aspirations. Mayor Red understood from the outset that tourism and creative industries could not grow without a solid foundation. Under her leadership, millions have been directed into upgrading essential services, ensuring that Santa Cruz’s festivals and cultural offerings could support both economic growth and community pride. Each year, as the crowds grow and more locals find work tied to the festival season, the town’s potential as a sustainable cultural and creative hub becomes increasingly clear. Laying the Groundwork for Economic Transformation At the heart of Mayor Red’s vision is a strategy that begins with meeting the essential needs of her community. By focusing on healthcare, infrastructure, and social services, she has established the conditions necessary for Santa Cruz’s economic base to expand. One of her administration’s most significant achievements has been securing medical support for the town’s most vulnerable residents. Through her personal visits and lobbying efforts with national government offices, Mayor Red has secured over PHP40 million in medical assistance for indigent patients. These funds, allocated by the national government, have ensured that residents have access to critical healthcare services, relieving families of potential financial ruin and supporting a healthier workforce. This focus on healthcare is more than a matter of public welfare. Healthy citizens are far more likely to participate productively in the economy. In industries like tourism and creative arts, where entrepreneurial spirit and hands-on work are indispensable, health stability enables locals to work confidently, without fear of financial catastrophe from illness or injury. A reliable healthcare system, then, becomes a pillar that supports economic development. Through her three-year term, Mayor Red secured funding for the construction of new village health centers which promise to expand coverage of medical services to locals as well as guests and visitors to Santa Cruz, Marinduque. Mayor Marisa Red lays the capsule for the construction of a water tank and installation of pipelines for the operation of a village deep well to enhance the town’s Municipal Waterworks services. In island-based towns across the Philippines, access to and availability of freshwater is a challenge that local communities face. The investments in infrastructure further solidify Santa Cruz’s potential as a destination. A prime example is the PHP125 million secured through the mayor’s determined lobbying of national legislators for the improvement of the town’s waterworks system. Consistent access to clean water is essential not only for residents but also for businesses, hotels, and restaurants that serve the town’s visitors. With reliable water infrastructure in place, Santa Cruz is better positioned to attract and support a growing tourism sector. Tourism and Creative Industries: Catalysts for Job Creation Tourism has long been viewed as a sector with high potential for job creation, particularly in areas with rich cultural and natural heritage. In Santa Cruz, where the scenic landscape and the renowned Moriones festival draw tourists, Mayor Red’s vision is to turn these assets into reliable sources of employment. Beyond the jobs directly tied to hospitality—such as those in hotels, restaurants, and tour guiding—her approach involves supporting a network of local enterprises that benefit from the visitor economy. Artisans, for instance, are positioned to take advantage of the growing influx of tourists by producing and selling crafts that reflect the town’s unique heritage. The Moriones
