海角大神

In 2009, Noraida Badilla鈥檚 family moved to Thitu Island, a remote landmass about 300 nautical miles off Puerto Princesa, Palawan, in the Philippines. They were drawn by the promise of government assistance, including free rice rations, school supplies, and electricity. Meanwhile, her husband would be able to fish the turquoise waters and sell his excess catch.聽

The couple built a simple but spacious house on a stretch of white sand, hanging a small Philippine flag from an electrical wire clipped to their blush-pink wall. 鈥淟ife was good back then,鈥� says the mother of three.聽

But in recent years, China鈥檚 incursions into the South China Sea have disrupted the peace on Thitu, known locally as Pag-asa (meaning 鈥渉ope鈥�), affecting not only the Badillas鈥� livelihood but also their family dynamics. As China amps up patrols at a nearby reef, cutting off its aquatic bounty, local women like Ms. Badilla are forced to eschew traditional gender roles and pick up jobs to make ends meet.

Jean Encinas-Franco, who teaches feminist international relations at the University of the Philippines Diliman, sees similar trends emerging throughout the region. With men unable to fish, women are becoming breadwinners, business leaders, and advocates for their coastal communities.聽

While it鈥檚 unclear whether women will retain these roles in the long term, Dr. Encinas-Franco says it鈥檚 encouraging to see women 鈥渢rying to demonstrate their agency [and] reimagining their lives鈥� in a time of crisis.

Overlapping claims

Thitu Island, which Philippine forces have occupied since the 1970s, is one of the many islands, islets, reefs, and shoals located within the South China Sea鈥檚 disputed Spratly archipelago.聽

While the Philippines, Taiwan, Vietnam, Malaysia, and Brunei have all claimed parts of the South China Sea, China claims sovereignty over nearly the entire region, including areas 鈥� like the Spratly archipelago 鈥� that lie partly within the Philippines鈥� exclusive economic zone. Although a United Nations court rejected China鈥檚 claims in 2016, Beijing has been aggressively expanding its presence in the Spratly Islands, deploying coast guard ships and building thousands of acres of artificial islands over the past decade.

This results in frequent standoffs with Philippine vessels, and tensions escalated last month when a clash at the Second Thomas Shoal 鈥� located halfway between Thitu and mainland Palawan 鈥� injured a Filipino sailor and damaged Philippine boats. The incident prompted new rounds of peace talks between the two countries, which Philippine authorities have described as 鈥渇rank and constructive.鈥�

The Subi Reef, another flash point, sits even closer to Thitu.

China occupied the reef in 1988 and has since developed a major military outpost atop the atoll. Locals say it鈥檚 easy to see the reef when the ocean is calm, and lights from Chinese military installations flicker brightly at night. But until China eases up on patrols, fishers like Ronel Badilla, Ms. Badilla鈥檚 husband, must stay close to shore, where fish are scarce.

鈥淏efore, you can catch five pieces of tanigue [mackerel]. Now, it鈥檚 hard to catch even just one piece,鈥� he says.

Food packs are available to help families manage lulls in fishing, according to Louie Cascara, the municipal administrator, but Ms. Badilla says she couldn鈥檛 just sit around and wait. Last summer, she found contract work with the municipal government. She and other women are paid about $140 per month to grow vegetables at the legislative department鈥檚 garden.聽

The Badillas partly rely on this income to support their eldest child 鈥� a 17-year-old daughter 鈥� and parents, who are all living on the mainland. 鈥淚鈥檓 happy that I am able to help them,鈥� says Ms. Badilla.

She doesn鈥檛 consider herself a breadwinner, rather acknowledging her husband鈥檚 contribution to their family, no matter how meager it is sometimes.聽

For his part, Mr. Badilla says he doesn鈥檛 mind that his wife puts food on the table, but appreciates it. He occasionally picks up construction work when he can鈥檛 sail due to patrols or bad weather, and takes turns caring for the couple鈥檚 younger children.

Women鈥檚 expanding sphere

Women have always played a vital but often invisible role in Filipino fishing villages, with many being in charge of family finances, providing child care, performing other domestic labor, and selling the fish themselves. Today, however, Thitu women can be seen running gardens, food stalls, community meetings, and even clinics.

With the threat of China looming and financial challenges mounting, some women have reported feeling more depressed and anxious, says Jocelyn dela Cruz, a nurse who runs the island鈥檚 primary health care facility along with a midwife. But she鈥檚 pleased that, so far, there have been no serious medical emergencies on the island, which currently has no medical doctor. Overall, 鈥渨omen here are well cared for,鈥� she says.聽

Indeed, families may be struggling, but women on Thitu Island are 鈥渞eally empowered,鈥� says Mr. Cascara. Women underwent dressmaking and other vocational training last year through the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority, a national government agency. Several members of the newly formed Spratly鈥檚 Strong and Brave Women Association (SSBWA) were in attendance.

The SSBWA will soon operate a bakery on the island, in a building provided by the government. 鈥淲e鈥檙e just waiting for the equipment and supplies to arrive,鈥� says Ms. Badilla, the group鈥檚 vice president.

And as the island opens up to tourism, the SSBWA has proposed a plan to manage homestay accommodations and a souvenir shop.

Next up, some say, is bringing women to the peace negotiations.聽

鈥淲omen鈥檚 participation in decision-making should be increased,鈥� says Gettie Sandoval, a law school faculty member at Ateneo De Manila University whose work focuses on gender and security.

If Ms. Badilla were at that table, her view would be clear.聽

The Philippine government has stopped actively recruiting residents to the 92-acre island and eliminated some of the aid programs for new arrivals, as the population approaches its maximum of 355. But Ms. Badilla鈥檚 family members are among the fortunate few who reaped the rewards of moving to Thitu early, and despite fears that China might attack the island, she stands by their decision to remain.聽

鈥淭his island belongs to the Philippines,鈥� she says.