One of Samboan’s political legends is Florencio S. Rusiana, who was appointed as Vice Mayor of Samboan by President Manuel Acuna Roxas on June 24, 1947. Rusiana’s co-appointee was Arsenio Teves as Councilor of Samboan.
Rusiana was elected mayor on November 10, 1959. It was an interesting election because the proclamation of Vice Mayor Cesar Tumulak and councilors Demetrio Teves, Faustino Joville, and Victoriano Benlot was questioned. The Court of First Instance ousted Tumulak and his councilors and their opponents led by Crispin Chan, Ignacio Singco, Sofronio Ferolino, and Cosme Catipay were declared as the winners.
Rusiana was reelected mayor in the November 12, 1963 general elections. During the campaign, President Diosdado Macapagal slept at the house of Mayor Rusiana on September 9, 1963. The fellow officials of Mayor Rusiana in 1964 (the winners in that elected assumed their office on December 30, 1963) were Vice Mayor Bienvenido F. Aranas, secretary Dimas Omay, judge Celerino Jumuad, treasurer Prumencio M. Maxilom, chief of police Catalino Dingal, and health officer Dr. Vicente Jabagat. The councilors were Eduardo Nellas, Emetria V. Balbona, Olimipio Tolomea, Anacleto Ferrolino, Gregorio Ferrolino, and Victoriano Gerodias.
Samboan was originally spelled as “Sambuan”, it was established as a parish by Diocesan decree on November 3, 1784, through Superior Approval on January 28, 1780. It is under the patronage of St. Michael Archangel. It is noteworthy to mention that the mother parish of Samboan was Tanjay in Negros Oriental. Its other parishes were Malabuyoc, Alegria, and Barili.
Sambuan used to have an annex; it was called the town of San Sebastian.
This town of San Sebastian received the approval of the Superior Government of Manila in 1885.
It was described by Fr. Felipe Redondo in his book in 1886 as a new town situated about two hours away from the town of Santander (or) Tanon.
The original church of Samboan was built of cut coral stone and lime mortar masonry. It has only one nave and no transept.
It measures 54 fathoms long, 10½ fathoms wide, and seven fathoms high. It has tile roofing while the pavement is made of a mixture of coral rubble with sand and lime.