Pulong Buhangin, Santa Maria

With a land area of 1,438 hectares[1] or 14.38 km², Pulong Buhangin is the largest barangay in Santa Maria, larger than the combined land area of the Municipality of Pateros and City of Navotas in Metro Manila. The barangay is located seven kilometers northeast of Santa Maria town proper and thirty-nine kilometers from Manila.

The prevailing climatic conditions in the municipality is categorized into two (2) types: dry and wet season.

The annual mean temperature in the area is 27 degrees Celsius. The warmest month is May with a mean temperature of 29.9 degrees Celsius while the coldest is January at 25.2 degrees Celsius.

As of 2015 census, Pulong Buhangin has a population of 36,893 people, making it the most populated barangay in Santa Maria, Bulacan.

Pulong Buhangin's population is composed of nearly 90% Roman Catholics. Other religions such as Iglesia Ni Cristo, Born-again Christians and some others fill the remaining percentage.

For Roman Catholics, the Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish Church (Pulong Buhangin), which was established in 1941, is the primary place of worship. It is located in front of the Cornelia Martinez De Jesus Memorial Central School. According to the "Pasyon ng Pulong Buhangin", the ivory statue of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel was brought in the barrio 350 years ago (circa 1665). The current location of statue is in the museum of the church (Museo de Carmelo). The Roman Catholics here continually believe that their ever constant loving and caring patroness, Our Lady of Mt. Carmel, with its secondary patron saint, San Sebastian raises unseen miracles in their everyday lives.

Public vehicles such as buses, jeepneys, and tricycles are the means of transportation in the barangay.

Buses:Shannine & Pauline buses regularly ply the Angat - Norzagaray - Ayala - Leveriza Routes.

Nuestra Señora del Carmen and Buenasher buses regularly ply the Pulong Buhangin (Garden)- Cubao, Quezon City, Metro Manila route. This make the barangay a bus ride away from the Manila Lines 1 and 3 train stations located in EDSA, Quezon City. Sta. Monica Transport Service Cooperative and Agila Bus Transport regularly ply the Angat- Norzagaray-Divisoria Route. Jeepneys: Jeepneys going to Santa Maria and Norzagaray are available for twenty-four hours. Jeepneys from Santa Maria going to Monumento, Caloocan City, Metro Manila via NLEX and Mc Arthur Hi-Way are also available.