Divers in Legazpi City, Albay have discovered alarming signs of coral bleaching affecting local reefs, posing a significant threat to marine life and the ecosystem.

Coral bleaching occurs when algae that live within corals, providing them with color and nutrients, are expelled due to environmental stress.

This stress is often caused by elevated sea temperatures and other factors affecting coastal areas.

"Siyempre namumundo man, ta numero uno, saro ini sa pigkukuanan mi ki pagkabuhay, pag naraot ini talagang mamundo man talaga ako," Edwardson Arena, a fisherman, said.

Some causes of coral bleaching in the area include unusually high sea temperatures and human activities near the coast.

To address the issue, efforts are underway to raise awareness and implement conservation measures.

"We need to first raise awareness and then bit by bit, pakonti-konti make some innovations para maligtas natin yung mga reef," Ran Basquinas, Head of Reefvive, said.

The Integrated Coastal Resource Management of Legazpi City is now conducting an assessment of the affected reefs.

"Mga most likely mga 30 to 20 percent yan, pero hopefully mga partial kuyan sana ang bleaching sa sarong coral heads, ta [may] posibilidad na magrecover pa yan," Engr. Benigno Redito said.

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) has yet to officially report on the situation.

The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) Bicol is scheduled to conduct an evaluation of the affected areas.