Seawoman Second Class Stephane Villalon’s voice reverberated on the bridge of her Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) ship as she issued a radio challenge to a much larger Chinese Coast Guard vessel in a disputed area of the West Philippine Sea (WPS).
The five-foot-tall radio operator is one of the PCG’s 81 “Angels of the Sea,” graduates of an all-women training program aimed at defusing encounters in the critical waterway.
“China Coast Guard vessel 5303, this is Philippine Coast Guard vessel BRP Bagacay MRRV-4410. You are advised that you are currently sailing within the Philippine Exclusive Economic Zone,” she said during an encounter videotaped last month.
“You are directed to depart immediately and notify us of your intention.”
Villalon’s action during the incident was precisely what the PCG envisioned when it launched the Angels program four years ago.
Beijing claims most of the South China Sea (SCS) despite an international ruling that its assertion has no legal basis, and its coast guard has clashed repeatedly with that of the Philippines, sparking fears of an armed conflict.
In Philippine law, the WPS refers only to the portions of the SCS that the Philippine government claims to be part of the country’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ).
“[The program] helps with our engagement with the China Coast Guard because we are utilizing women, who are naturally not aggressive, not confrontational,” Coast Guard Spokesman Commodore Algier Ricafrente told Agence France Presse (AFP).
That framing of women’s nature drew charges of sexism when the program first launched in 2021.
Gabriela Rep. Arlene Brosas argued at the time it trivialized the territorial dispute by suggesting “maternal” voices might calm situations.
Still, while Philippine geopolitics analyst Andrea Wong agreed overemphasizing “female characteristics” was problematic, she said the program was a “positive effort” capable of utilizing women’s strengths “in a real way.”
“The most important thing is harnessing their full potential, whether it be their language skills (or) communication skills.”
For Villalon, the radio operator, the program’s central premise needs no defending.
“A woman’s patience, composure and the ability to respond or to communicate with empathy makes us unique, makes us more fit for this role,” the 28-year-old pointed out.
While the PCG has hundreds of operators, it is the Angels who are routinely dispatched for missions in disputed areas of the WPS.
“Angels of the Sea is a testament that there are things women can do more effectively than men, especially in our thrust of communicating with our maritime law enforcement counterparts,” Ricafrente said.
“They don’t feel threatened when they talk to women.”
‘Words instead of weapons’
Villalon said she felt proud to represent Filipinas in spaces typically dominated by men, especially with regional tensions rising.
“I focus on my job… (and) just deliver my speech,” she said of her approach during encounters with Chinese vessels, adding she drew inspiration from her mother, a housewife who taught her to always stand her ground.
Villalon recalled how her Chinese counterpart’s tone went from aggressive to calm as she addressed him during last month’s episode near the contested Scarborough Shoal.
Ricafrente said the coast guard was committed to exhausting every means of de-escalating tensions in the disputed waters.
“Nobody wants war, nobody wants conflict… the business of the coast guard is peace,” Ricafrente said, quoting Coast Guard Commandant Ronnie Gil Gavan, who dreamt up the Angels program while still a district commander.
Ricafrente said the PCG hopes to train another batch of Angels this year to coincide with the arrival of new ships from Japan and France that will be used for patrols in the WPS.
While some question the program’s effectiveness, Villalon—who will soon start Mandarin classes to improve her communication skills—said she believes in the importance of using “words instead of weapons.”
“I have come to realize that I am the kind of woman who is brave,” Villalon said.
“Not just because I am willing to fight, but because I want to make fighting unnecessary.” With AFP
Editor’s Note: This is an updated article. Originally posted with the headline “‘Angels’ aim to de-escalate South China Sea encounters.”