The Philippines’ ‘Angels of the Sea’: Calculated Strategy or Gendered Ploy?

by GAIA Research Associate Nafisa Halim

source: Flickr/StormCrypt

The creation of an all-female unit of radio operators looks good for the Philippine Coast Guard, but does little to address the security challenges in the South China Sea.

China’s growing assertiveness in the South China Sea, an area rich in resources and an important thoroughfare of international commerce, has prompted maritime and territorial disputes with other states, including Taiwan, Malaysia, Vietnam, Brunei, and the Philippines. To safeguard its claims in the vital waterway, in June 2021, the Philippines Coast Guard (PCG) acknowledged an all-female unit of coastguard radio operators that it dubbed “Angels of the Sea.”

To access the full article, check out Nafisa Halim’s publication on The Diplomat, published on 28 September 2021