Philippines divers clear plastic waste from corals for World Cleanup Day

Diving instructor Carmela Sevilla holds a mesh bag filled with trash during an underwater cleanup drive in Bauan, Batangas Province, Philippines, September 18, 2021. REUTERS/Peter Blaza

MANILA (Reuters) - Divers in the Philippines pulled plastic bags, drinks bottles and fishing nets from a coral reef on Saturday, joining an annual cleanup that aims to highlight the impact of garbage on the world's oceans.

About a dozen divers cleared rubbish from the reef and nearby beaches as they marked World Cleanup Day in Batangas province, a popular spot for snorkelling and diving south of the capital, Manila.