Filipino female radio operators to become voice of peace in West Philippine Sea

The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) will deploy female radio operators when confronting intruders within the country’s territorial waters.

Vice Admiral Leopoldo Laroya, PCG deputy commandant for operations, said they will utilize female radio operators – dubbed ‘Angels of the Sea – in the frontlines to defuse tension and avoid confrontation, especially when facing Chinese ships in the West Philippine Sea.

“We want our ‘Angels of the Sea’ to become the voice of peaceful and rules-based order at sea, especially in our country’s sensitive maritime frontiers,” Laroya said.

The PCG said 81 female officers successfully completed a special radio operators course to form the all-female unit, Angels of the Sea.

They  will be embedded in the PCG ships patrolling the country’s maritime jurisdiction, according to PCG spokesperson Commodore Armand Balilo.

He said when the PCG confronts foreign ships such as the Chinese Coast Guard, using female radio operators, the atmosphere changes, becomes less belligerent.

“Medyo nagiging soothing. ‘Yong environment nagiging kalmado at hindi nagtataasan ng boses. Parang nagsi-symbolize siya na peaceful, na rules-based dapat tayo,” Balilo said.

The female officers spent weeks honing their communication skills to uphold maritime law enforcement, maritime safety and security at sea.

Some members of “Angels of the Sea” would also be taught Chinese as part of their program, Balilo said. According to a recent report from geospatial intelligence firm Simularity, the number of Chinese vessels occupying the country’s exclusive economic zone increased from 129 to 238.