It is also known as Malamanok, coming from the Sama-Bajau dialect which means eat chicken as locals who travel to Sabah usually use this island as a stop-over to eat roasted chicken prior continuing their journey to Malaysia.

It is the last island of the Sulu Archipelago nearest to the Philippine-Malaysian border.

Just like other Philippine border communities, the area lacks access to food, potable water and healthcare.

The island has a newly constructed military barrack, a flagpole, and a small community of Badjao.

[2] Known as the westernmost island of the Tawi-Tawi group, Panguan Island was used as a hideout by the Abu Sayyaf terror group until it was liberated by the 10th Marines Battalion Landing Team (MBLT-10) of the Philippine Marine Corps[1] after the surrender of eleven high-ranking Abu Sayyaf leaders of Tawi-Tawi in April 2017.