Santa Maria was the home town of José Corazón de Jesús, a Filipino poet popularly known as ""Huseng Batute"", who started composing his verse as a child. Another native of Santa Maria is Francisco Santiago, a composer who wrote ""Nasaan Ka Irog"" and other kundiman songs. In the political arena, Santa Maria has produced three Bulacan governors: Jose Serapio (1900-1901), Trinidad Icasiano (1912-1916), Fortunato Halili (1943-1944 and 1946-1951); and two representatives of the second and fourth district: Rogaciano Mercado (1953-1992) and Reylina Nicolas (2001-2010).