Assalamu alaikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.

When I was a little girl, my family taught me one of life’s most enduring lessons: the value of money. I was raised to believe that every peso had a purpose and that saving for rainy days was not only a good habit but also a way of life.

Even though I was an only child, I was never simply handed everything I wanted. If I dreamed of enjoying a meal from McDonald’s or Dunkin’ on the weekend, I had to earn it. Sometimes, that meant getting good grades. Other times, it meant patiently saving a portion of my baon until I had enough. For my parents, saving was never optional; it was a family value.

As a child, I often thought they were simply being too strict. It was only years later that I realized they were teaching me something far more valuable than how to save money. They were instilling financial responsibility, self-discipline, delayed gratification, and, above all, the importance of honoring the trust that comes with every hard-earned peso.

My appointment as chairperson and chief executive officer (CEO) of the Al-Amanah Islamic Investment Bank brought kind messages from many people. Some came from old friends. Others came from people I had never met. A few simply said, “We’re praying for you.”

I also found myself reflecting on the confidence placed in me. Public appointments are often seen as recognition, but I have always viewed them as a trust.

I am deeply grateful to President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. for his confidence, and to the Muslim leaders and communities who welcomed my appointment with their prayers, encouragement, and support. Their faith in me is something I will honor every single day.

For most of my career, I worked in public finance. People often imagine that the work revolves around numbers. It certainly does, but numbers were never what stayed with me after long days in the office.

What stayed with me were the stories. They came from teachers, farmers, entrepreneurs, and entire communities—each carrying a quiet hope for something better. A new school building. A road that would connect livelihoods to markets. A small business given the chance to grow. Financial services that were within reach instead of out of reach. They reminded me that behind every decision are people simply trying to build better lives.

Those conversations changed the way I looked at finance. I stopped seeing it as the movement of money but as the movement of opportunity.

Perhaps that is what drew me to Al-Amanah. The values I grew up with—honesty, fairness, keeping one’s word—never felt separate from the way people earned a living. I have always believed that success means more when it creates opportunities not only for us but also for others.

Al-Amanah was established to make banking more accessible, especially for communities that for many years had limited access to financial services. While its roots are in Islamic banking, its purpose reaches much farther. It serves Filipinos from all walks of life who want a financial partner built on fairness, responsibility, and trust.

Growing up, I watched merchants greet customers by name. A handshake meant something. A promise carried weight. Relationships were built slowly, one honest transaction after another. Watching those everyday exchanges, I didn't know I was learning lessons that would stay with me for life.

I realized that what people valued most was not simply the exchange of goods, but the trust that made those exchanges possible. Business was never just about earning a living. It was about keeping one's word, treating people fairly, and building relationships that lasted beyond a single transaction. Those values quietly found their way into my own understanding of responsibility.

They were simply lessons about being grateful, living within our means, and taking care of what had been entrusted to us. Years later, I found those same values at the heart of public service.

I've learned that access alone is not enough. People also need someone willing to explain, to listen, and to walk alongside them as they make important financial decisions.

I know there will be difficult days ahead. That has never discouraged me. Rather, it challenges me to listen more, to learn more and to remember that leadership is not about having all the answers, but about making every decision with fairness, compassion, and integrity.

Every now and then, my thoughts return to the financial lesson from my childhood.

They taught me one of life's most enduring lessons: take care of what has been entrusted to you.

Beyond budget, for us Muslims, “amanah” is trust. It is a reminder that whatever is entrusted to us should always be used in the service of others.

My prayer is simple: that Allah grants me the wisdom to do what is right, the humility to keep learning, and the strength to be worthy of the trust and confidence that has been placed in me. If, in the years ahead, more families find security, more entrepreneurs find the confidence to pursue their dreams, and more people come to see Al-Amanah as a place they can trust, then I will know I have honored that amanah.

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