Call of duty in West PH Sea: A coast guard family’s sacrifice

FILIPINO LAND. Philippine Coast Guard and Philippine Navy personnel salute the Philippine flag in 2021 in a flag ceremony that now takes place daily amid China aggression near the area. PHOTO FROM NAVAL FORCES WEST FB PAGE

PALAWAN, Philippines — While recent tensions in the West Philippine Sea hog the headlines, its toll on the families of Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) personnel, who are at the frontline of the fight to protect Philippine sovereignty at sea, is often overlooked.

More than a week before Christmas Day, most of the country is now in a festive mood, but Analyn Abellon, 38, based in Rizal town here, could not help but feel somber on what would have been a joyful season.

Her husband, Coast Guard PO2 Philip Abellon, 40, could not be home for Christmas.

Philip, who served as a PCG officer for 13 years now, is among the 34 Coast Guard personnel deployed to seven PCG outposts in the Kalayaan Island Group.

“There will be no [Christmas] celebration,” the Coast Guard’s wife told Inquirer.net in Filipino during an interview on Thursday (Dec. 14).

Coast Guard PO2 Philip Abellon, his wife Analyn, and their seven year-old daughter. Photo courtesy of Analyn Abellon

“We are sad because Christmas is now approaching and he is not with us. But it’s because of his job, and we cannot do anything about it,” said Analyn.

She said her husband has been deployed to the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone since late November and may be back before the year ends, although there is no guarantee. And if he comes home, he could stay for only a few says before returning to the area where China is aggressively pursuing a territorial claim that had been ruled as baseless.

The coast guard’s spouse is hopeful that her husband could make it before the New Year, at least.

Having been married for eight years now, Analyn said that she is getting used to her husband’s absence due to the call of duty.

She also said that she and her husband are always getting touch through text messages, which allows her to check on him every day.

But still, Analyn could not help but worry, especially in light of mounting tensions in the western section of the country’s exclusive economic zone as China continued its harassment of Philippine civilian and military vessels.

Coast Guard PO2 Philip Abellon behind the Philippine Coast Guard station in Pagasa Island. Photo courtesy of Analyn Abellon

Her husband, along with 17 other PCG personnel is deployed to Pagasa Island where an increasing number of Chinese vessels and warships has been monitored.

“I can’t help but be nervous. We always see on TV about the swarming of the Chinese coast guard there. I am nervous because of what could happen to them,” Analyn said.

There are days when her husband’s presence would be needed by the family, especially by their seven-year old daughter, who is now in second grade.

“Like for their Christmas party. Her teacher said their mothers and fathers should attend, but I told them that her father is not here because of his work,” Analyn said.

“Sometimes I feel bad, but I understand the nature of his work. We are proud of him, because he wants to serve his fellow Filipinos,” she said.