Sulu Governor Sakur Tan said he welcomes the appointment of former Budget Secretary Amenah Pangandaman as chairperson and CEO of the Al-Amanah Islamic Investment Bank of the Philippines (AAIIBP), the first and only Islamic bank in the Philippines.

"The Sulu Provincial Government and the people of Sulu extend our warmest congratulations to Honorable Amenah Pangandaman on her appointment as the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Al-Amanah Islamic Investment Bank of the Philippines. Her transition to the helm of the country’s premier Islamic banking institution is a milestone that brings immense pride to Muslim Filipinos," the governor said.

Tan also noted Pangandaman's experience as a former assistant governor of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP).

"Her distinguished track record—marked by her exemplary leadership as the former Secretary of the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) and her foundational expertise as Assistant Governor of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP)—has equipped her with the precise fiscal acuity and monetary insight required to steer the nation's Islamic financial sector," he added.

Moreover, Tan expressed confidence in Pangandaman as the new head of the country's first Islamic bank.

“We are certain that under Pangandaman's stewardship, Al-Amanah Bank will unlock new pathways for financial inclusion, economic resilience, and sustainable development across the muslim population in the country," he said.

Established in 1973 by virtue of a presidential decree signed by late President Ferdinand E. Marcos, the AAIIBP is a government-owned and controlled corporation that was acquired by the Development Bank of the Philippines in 2008.