The legend of the town as told by the ancestors and handed down from generation to generation was at that time the area was a wide tract of corral reef protecting the shorelines from the tidal waves coming from Pacific Ocean. After many centuries of big waves pushing the sand to the shorelines a land was formed. This land lies at northern coast of the Island of Samar facing the Pacific Ocean and the Bicol Region. The low- lying land divided by a river called BOBON, a term derived from BONBON and the river was named SAG-OD River. Today, many believed that the theory of our ancestors is true because the corral reefs still surrond the shores of the town. The bottom of SAG-OD river extending to MAMA MARIA River is a corral reef, it can still be proven if one digs a well more than two and one-half (2 ½) meters deep. It is not unusual to hit a corral reef more than two meters thick. If one digs, below, the reef contain white sand and if the water is extracted it is sweet potable water, which is the reason why the place is noted for its potable drinking water.

Another tale why the town is called BOBON, was, fishermen from across the sea and the Spanish Conquestadores took refuge at this island due to the bad weather. During their stay, they found a natural big well containing sweet potable drinking water. From that time on those sea travelers never fail to make a stop at this place to add to their provision for next long sea travel.

These industrious fishermen from across the sea settle permanently around the big well. They called the well BOBON, a term used by the Bicolanos for the well. Aside from fishing, they started to become farmers and tilled the wide tract land surrounding the area, planting rice, corn, rootcrops and vegetables for their daily needs.

Roman catholic missionaries came to the place and preached the Roman Catholic Religion. They started to build a church Northwest of the place and formed a local government to govern the community. The church was not to house the worshipers but also used as refuge of the inhabitants during MORO invasion. Big bells on high belfry give ringing to call worshipers. The wall were made of thick corral stones and the floors were a foot below the natural surface of the surrounding used as cover during exchanges of weapons like the arrows or gunfire. Majority of the inhabitants are devoted Roman Catholic. Although today there are many who established their own churches like Inglesia Ni Kristo, Mormon, Jehovah witnesses and the renewal (Born Again Christian) group they only compose the minority.

When the place became a town, the area covered included the present towns of San Jose, Rosario and the Island of Biri. Today what remained of BOBON after conversions of the three barrios into towns are the eighteen-(18) barangays. Four composed the poblacion, three along the highway and the rest are all interior barangays. During the early 60’s the poblacion barangays were called Borotbotan, Camcaman and a part of Butnga now Barangay Santa Clara; Cataogan, now Barangay General Lucban; Tabok meaning across the river is now Barangay San Juan and Agripacion, now Barangay Salvacion. Along the highway Barangay Magsaysay was once called Dose and Bangag now Barangay San Isidro.

Agta Festival of Bobon, Northern Samar, Philippines is an annual cultural and religious festival held usually on the second Sunday of January and is the center of the Santo Niño Catholic celebrations in the Philippines. Other places have their own version of the festival in honor of the Santo Niño. The Agta Festival contingents are dressed in bright coloured costumes dancing gracefully to the rhythm of drums and other musical instruments. 

BOBON, Northern Samar- More than 15,000 people witnessed this year’s “Agta Festival” held this town in honor of Sto.Niño de Bobon.  The yearly festival is held every January 8 with the batch members of the Bobon Central School year 1979-1980 and Bobon National High School year 1983-1984 as this year’s “hermanos and hermanas.”