Wikipedia

Surangel Whipps Jr.

Surangel Samuel Whipps Jr. (born 9 August 1968)[1] is a Palauan businessman and politician who has served as the president of Palau since 2021. He previously served as a senator from 2009 to 2016.[2] A member of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, he is a strong advocate for environmental conservation, economic reform, and maintaining Palau's diplomatic ties with Taiwan.[3] He won re-election in the 2024 Palauan general election.[4]

The Honorable
Surangel Whipps Jr.
Whipps in 2026
10th President of Palau
Incumbent
Assumed office
21 January 2021
Vice PresidentUduch Sengebau Senior
Raynold Oilouch
Preceded byThomas Remengesau Jr.
Member of the Senate of Palau
In office
2009–2016
Personal details
Born (1968-08-09) 9 August 1968 (age 57)
Baltimore, Maryland, U.S.
PartyIndependent
Spouse
​
(m. 1999)​
Children4
Parent(s)Surangel S. Whipps (father)
Marilyn C. Whipps (mother)
RelativesMason Whipps (brother)
Thomas Remengesau Jr. (brother-in-law)
Thomas Remengesau Sr. (father-in-law; deceased)
EducationAndrews University (BS)
UCLA Anderson School of Management (MBA)

Early life and education

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Whipps was born in Baltimore, Maryland, to a Palauan father and a mother from Maryland.[5] His father was Surangel S. Whipps, a Palauan businessman, former Speaker of the House and Senate President, who instilled in him the values of hard work and public service.[6] The family returned to Palau in 1972.[7]

He earned a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with a major in Economics from Andrews University in Michigan in 1988. He later earned a Master of Business Administration from the UCLA Anderson School of Management in 1992.[7][8]

Business career

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Upon returning to Palau after his studies, Whipps joined the family business, Surangel and Sons Company, which was founded by his father in 1980. He was appointed President and CEO of the company, leading its expansion from a single-floor store with 50 employees to a diversified corporation employing over 600 people, with interests in supermarkets, hardware, auto sales, quarrying, and construction.[9][10] The experience of growing up in the family business gave him direct insight into the challenges faced by Palauan workers and business owners.[6]

Political career

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Senate tenure (2008–2016)

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Whipps was first elected to the Senate of Palau in 2008. He ran as a write-in candidate after the filing deadline had passed, making history by winning with 66% of the vote.[11] He served two terms in the 8th and 9th Olbiil Era Kelulau (Palau National Congress) from 2009 to 2016.[7] During his tenure, he was known for his work on economic and labor issues.

As a senator, he successfully pushed for the first increase to the national minimum wage since it was initially enacted in 1997 by his father. The bill he introduced in the 9th OEK raised Palau's minimum wage, a key step in his platform of prioritizing Palauan workers ("Palauans First").[7][9] He has continued this advocacy as president, with subsequent increases phasing the minimum wage to $5.00 per hour by 2025.[12]

Whipps also conducted over 100 oversight hearings aimed at promoting transparency and accountability in government services.[7]

2016 presidential campaign

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In the 2016 Palauan general election, Whipps ran for president against his brother-in-law, the incumbent President Thomas Remengesau Jr..[13] In a close race, Remengesau received 5,109 votes while Whipps won 4,854 votes.[14]

Presidency (2021–present)

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First term (2021–2025)

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Whipps was elected president in the 2020 presidential election, defeating Vice President Raynold Oilouch.[2] His campaign slogan, "A Kot a Rechad er Belau" (Palauans First), was originally used by his father.[6] He was inaugurated on 21 January 2021.[15]

Upon taking office, Whipps took a strong stance on foreign policy, vowing to oppose illegal fishing and trespassing in Palauan waters by Chinese vessels and to maintain Palau's recognition of Taiwan.[16] He also prioritized the distribution of COVID-19 vaccines to Palau's population, beginning with healthcare workers.[17]

Whipps emerged as a prominent voice on climate change. At the COP26 summit in Glasgow in 2021, he gave a powerful speech calling on world leaders to take radical action, stating: "Bold, unified action, led to transformation, we must act together... We are drowning, and our only hope is the life-ring you are holding." He drew a parallel between the climate crisis and a traditional Palauan story, warning that if action wasn't taken, developed nations "might as well drop bombs on our islands."[18][19]

Second term (2025–present)

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Whipps was re-elected for a second term following the November 2024 general election. He secured 5,626 votes, defeating his predecessor and brother-in-law, Thomas Remengesau Jr., who received 4,103 votes.[20] The election was seen as a referendum on his first-term policies, including tax reforms and economic development initiatives.[21]

Personal life

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Whipps married Valerie Esang Remengesau in 1999; the couple have four children: three daughters and one son.[22] He is an active member of the Koror Seventh-day Adventist Church, where he has served as a deacon. He is also a board member of the Guam Seventh-day Adventist Clinic and former chairman of the Palau Adventist School board.[23] He enjoys fishing, boating, and basketball.[6]

References

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  1. ↑ "Four candidates seek the presidency in Palau elections in 2020". 20 January 2020. Archived from the original on 28 January 2021. Retrieved 21 July 2020.
  2. 1 2 "Surangel Whipps Jr to be Palau's new president". Radio New Zealand. 6 November 2020. Retrieved 6 November 2020.
  3. ↑ Carreon, Bernadette (18 January 2021). "Palau's new president vows to stand up to 'bully' China". The Guardian.
  4. ↑ "Palau's pro-US president wins second term, defeating brother-in-law". The Guardian. 14 November 2024. Retrieved 19 November 2024.
  5. ↑ Surangel Jr., Whipps (11 April 2016). TFB Interview: Surangel Whipps Jr. from Palau (video) (Interview). The Fourth Branch. Retrieved 28 July 2025. My mom is from Maryland, so I was actually born in Baltimore, Maryland, and we actually lived there until I was three years old.
  6. 1 2 3 4 Words From My Mother: The Life and Legacy of Surangel Whipps (2026), The Surangel Family, Chapter 21.
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 "H.E. Mr. Surangel S. Whipps, Jr" (PDF). UNESCAP. Retrieved 29 April 2026.
  8. ↑ "Palau National Congress - Senators". Palau National Congress. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 8 November 2020.
  9. 1 2 "Surangel S. Whipps, Jr". Ocean Panel. Retrieved 29 April 2026.
  10. ↑ "H.E Surangel Whipps Jr". Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat. Retrieved 29 April 2026.
  11. ↑ Words From My Mother: The Life and Legacy of Surangel Whipps (2026), The Surangel Family, Chapter 19.
  12. ↑ "Palau's minimum wage to increase to $5 an hour by 2025". Marianas Business Journal. Retrieved 29 April 2026.
  13. ↑ "Palau island election: Brothers-in-law vying for presidency". The Independent. 31 October 2016. Archived from the original on 25 May 2022. Retrieved 5 November 2016.
  14. ↑ Carreon, Bernadette H. (6 November 2016). "Palau election too close to call, Results to be decided by overseas ballots". Guam Daily Post. Retrieved 6 November 2016.
  15. ↑ Carreon, Bernadette (18 January 2021). "Palau's new president vows to stand up to 'bully' China". The Guardian.
  16. ↑ Carreon, Bernadette (18 January 2021). "Palau's new president vows to stand up to 'bully' China". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 11 February 2021.
  17. ↑ "President Surangel Whipps, Jr. of Palau". Bridging Borders. Retrieved 11 February 2021.
  18. ↑ "'You might as well bomb us,' says President of Palau at COP26 climate summit". WION. 3 November 2021. Retrieved 3 November 2021.
  19. ↑ "COP26 must light the fire – Palau President at COP26". SPREP. 3 November 2021. Retrieved 29 April 2026.
  20. ↑ "Palau's pro-US president wins second term, defeating brother-in-law". The Guardian. 14 November 2024. Retrieved 19 November 2024.
  21. ↑ "Surangel Whipps Jr.'s decisive victory amid political headwinds". Pacific Island Times. Retrieved 29 April 2026.
  22. ↑ "Surangel S, Whipps, Jr. President of Palau". The High Level Panel for a Sustainable Ocean Economy (Ocean Panel). Archived from the original on 16 November 2021. Retrieved 16 November 2021.
  23. ↑ Lloyd, Grace (27 February 2021). "Adventist Businessman Inaugurated as President in Palau". Adventist Review. Retrieved 2 May 2025.
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