ABDUSAKUR TAN

Adbusakur Mahail Tan, better known as Sakur Tan, is the incumbent Governor of Sulu in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM). He previously served as Vice Governor of the island province from 2013 to 2016.  

Born on July 13, 1950, in Maimbung, Sulu, Gov. Tan is of Tausug-Han Chinese descent. He is the eldest child of Hadji Abubakar Tan, former Mayor of Maimbung, and Hadja Satriya Mahail. He attended high school at the Notre Dame of Jolo for Boys and earned his Bachelor of Arts at the Notre Dame of Jolo College. Gov. Tan is married to former Sulu Vice Governor Hadja Nurunisah Abubakar and with whom he has five children, including the province’s concurrent Vice Governor Abdusakur “Totoh” Tan II.  

Gov. Tan’s started his political career as Municipal Councilor for Jolo from 1981 to 1987. This was followed by his election as Sulu’s First District Representative (1987-1992) and as Governor (1996-2001). He once again won Sulu’s gubernatorial race in 2007. In the 2010 polls, he was reelected as Governor, beating out rivals by a wide margin. Running unopposed, Gov. Tan was elected again as Sulu Governor in the May 2022 election.  

Gov. Tan’s leadership helped bring peace and order in Sulu, ensuring continuous development of the province and BARMM. He is also the Chairman of the Provincial Peace and Order Council (PPOC), which seeks to address security and other issues related to public order and safety in Sulu and BARMM.