Senate President Hokkons Baules is currently serving his seventh term in the Senate of the Republic of Palau and his third consecutive term as President of the Senate. His legislative career spans decades, beginning with his service in the Second Olbiil Era Kelulau (OEK) from 1985 to 1988. He returned to the Senate in 2007 through a nationwide special election during the Seventh OEK and has since continued to serve in the Eighth through Twelfth OEK.
Senate President Baules brings deep institutional insight to the Olbiil Era Kelulau. He is widely recognized as a framer of the Palau National Constitution, having served as a delegate to the Second Palau Constitutional Convention in 2005, where he contributed to the review and refinement of Palau’s foundational legal framework. Among the amendments he advocated was the reinforce Palau’s status as a “Nuclear Free Nation”.
Before becoming Senate President in 2017, Senator Baules served in prominent leadership roles during the Ninth OEK. He chaired the Committee on Foreign Affairs and State Matters, was Vice Chair of Capital Improvement Projects, and actively contributed to numerous standing committees spanning finance, judiciary, development, infrastructure, and environmental affairs.
During his tenure, Senate President Baules authored numerous legislative measures, seven of which became Republic of Palau Public Law in the 11th OEK. Among the most consequential were the COVID-19 Temporary Sector Relief Act, which provided urgent economic support during the pandemic, and the Reorganization of the Executive Branch, a structural reform aimed at enhancing government efficiency and responsiveness. Among the landmark legislative achievements attributed to Senate President Baules is the enactment of the Palau National Marine Sanctuary, a defining measure in the nation’s commitment to ocean conservation and sustainable resource management.
Senate President Baules is a graduate of Seventh-day Adventist Elementary School and Palau Mission Academy. He earned a Bachelor of Arts in History from Philippine Union College. In addition to his public service, he is a businessman and remains actively engaged in national dialogue and governance.