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| Philippine sailor Stephane Villalon, one of 81 'angels' in the 'Sea Angels' Project to help reduce tensions in the East Sea. (Source: AFP) |
"China Coast Guard Vessel 5303, this is Philippine Coast Guard Vessel BRP Bagacay MRRV-4410. You are currently entering the Philippine exclusive economic zone. Please leave the area immediately and clearly state your intentions," Villalon's voice echoed across the deck of the Philippine Coast Guard Vessel as she issued a radio warning to a much larger enemy vessel in a disputed area of the South China Sea.
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The 1.52 meter tall female radio officer is one of 81 members of the "Sea Angels " team, graduating from a special training program exclusively for women to reduce tension in encounters in this strategic sea area.
Women – Strategic Choices
Villalon's actions are exactly what the Philippine Coast Guard hoped for when it established the "Sea Angels" program four years ago.
China claims sovereignty over most of the South China Sea, despite an international ruling that the claim has no legal basis. In recent years, the coast guards of the Philippines and China have repeatedly faced off, raising concerns about escalating tensions.
"This (Sea Angel) program helps us interact with the Chinese Coast Guard because we choose women who are not confrontational or aggressive," Philippine coast guard spokesman Colonel Algier Ricafrente told AFP .
However, when the show debuted in 2021, some criticized the approach as sexist. Congresswoman Arlene Brosas said the show downplayed the South China Sea dispute in the belief that a “maternal” tone could calm the situation.
While agreeing that "feminine" traits should not be exaggerated, Philippine geopolitical expert Andrea Wong said that this is still a "positive effort" to promote women's strengths, especially language and communication skills.
For her part, sailor Villalon does not feel the need to justify this 'Angel' mission. " Patience, composure and the ability to communicate with empathy make us different and more suitable for this mission," the 28-year-old officer told AFP .
When "angels" replace weapons
Although the Philippine Coast Guard has hundreds of radio operators, it is the “Angels of the Sea” who are most frequently deployed to tense areas in the South China Sea.
Colonel Ricafrente affirmed: "This program proves that there are things that women do better than men, especially in the task of dialogue with law enforcement forces at sea. They do not feel threatened when talking to women."
He said the Philippine Coast Guard always tries to de-escalate tensions by any means possible. Quoting the "father" of the program "Sea Angel" Ronnie Gil Gavan, he emphasized: "No one wants conflict... the mission of the Coast Guard is to maintain peace.
It is expected that by 2025, the coast guard will train a new batch of "Angels" to work on patrol vessels provided by Japan and France.
Villalon is proud to represent Filipino women in a male-dominated field, especially as tensions in the strategic waters escalate. And while there are doubts about the effectiveness of the program, the 'angel' believes in the power of dialogue: "I realized that I am a brave woman. Not because I am willing to fight, but because I want to make fighting unnecessary."
Source: https://baoquocte.vn/khi-thien-than-thay-the-vu-khi-cach-philippines-ha-nhet-nhung-cang-thang-trong-cac-cuoc-cham-tran-tren-bien-dong-306718.html
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