She’s the man

by: Lian Nami Buan

She sits inside an air-conditioned floor decorated by uptight men in uniforms roaming around with a posture that almost scares civilians. Wearing a smile that is odd amidst her bearing, she exudes the confidence of a successful woman who still aims for a lot more to achieve. For Ensign Noemie Guirao, her story began when she joined the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) as an enlist in 2002. Bored by the stagnant work style in the call center, the then 22-year old and now PCG Flag Lieutenant decided to abandon the networking company to take on Coast Guard trainings, not threatened by the men who might be able to outlast and outsmart her.

“You might wonder how I ended up here,” Guirao teased after revealing that she is a Mass Communication graduate, “well I don’t know either.” His Grandfather, once a lighthouse keeper in PCG, have always wanted one of them to take his place. So when her mother started processing her papers for the Coast Guard, she hadn’t find the time to contemplate on what could and would be. “I just found myself entering trainings,” she said, “I consider it (entering coast guard) my gift to them.”

The three years of training tested both her wit and endurance. It was as rigid as it can get. She was based on the Coast Guard camp in San Narcisso Zambales, where they would swim 2 miles in open sea everyday. One of the most physically draining activities was the carrying of rubber boats that weighed as much as 80 Ibs. She had to do well in academics, too. “Exercises and academics both has 50% worth,” she said, “so I had to maintain good marks on both of them.” But the balance was good, as according to her, it helped her mold her mind-over-body skills.

PCG warned them that there will be no special treatment for the women, but this was not what Lt. Guirao was worried about. Even if it wasn’t talked about formally, she knew that somewhere along the line, gender discrimination would bite her somehow. Because the prissiest of women would not in a million years put themselves up for militaristic training, enlisted men expect enlisted women to be boyish. Too much in fact, that the treatment crosses the line of being disrespectful. “They’d raise their voice at you,” she revealed, as if to tell them who’s boss.

Even when she was promoted to an officer in 2006, subordinates would still commit the same foul treatment, she admitted. And it was very awkward for a 27 year old like her to tell off her people who are in their 40’s or 50’s. “But I had to keep in mind that I was their officer,” she said, “and besides, no human being deserves to be shouted at.”

“I have to maintain a relationship where I should be dominating,” she said. It was to ensure that her inferiors would overlook both age and gender and give her the respect she’s due.

In days that duty ends at 12 midnight, she wasn’t spared of the 4 am call time. Imagine what she had to go through when she was on the monitoring duty during the days of Typhoon Frank. “I don’t even get sleep then anymore,” she said.

But never did she once thought of quitting. All she cared about was she was happy, and she was enjoying it.

In fact, enjoyment yielded great results. Besides the achievement of being promoted to officer in such a young age, Lt. Guirao finished top 2 in her batch of 29 that had only 6 girls in it. And if by great results, it means an easier time, then yes, Lt. Guirao admits that her title earned her the less stressful duties.

Lt. Guirao is basically the Commandant’s sidekick. She accompanies him in official engagements, do the paper works, and anything that needs assistance. “I get to relax once in a while now,” she said.

She saw this as a golden opportunity to pursue something for career advancement. She is taking up her master’s degree in Communication Management in the Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila.

So she wears the pins on weekdays, drag her casual clothes to school on Saturdays - what about the Sundays? “I get to spend that day with my family,” she said. But only weekends is dedicated to being Noemie, the rest are times of being Lt. Guirao. “When I’m wearing my uniform, I have to maintain my dignity as an officer,” she said. No exceptions, no exemptions.

She was never really conscious of the fact that she is a woman in men’s land, for hardwork need not be pressured by competition. Because every time a honk blares out in the coast guard area, you wouldn’t see men and women on their feet trying to outrun each other for the sake of being ahead. Although in the end, being the one who finishes first really does matter.