The Atom Araullo Specials - Plastic Republic

On a remote island in Romblon, Philippines, journalist Atom Araullo joins a team of bone collectors to exhume a whale suspected to have died from plastic ingestion. This marks the fourth marine mammal found on Romblon’s shores, alongside 30 sea turtles stranded since 2023 - many of them also victims of plastic pollution. Beyond marine life, plastic waste is affecting local fishermen in Manila Bay, where their nets pull in more plastic than fish. A study by the University of the Philippines Marine Science Institute further reveals microplastic contamination in oysters sold across the country, raising urgent concerns about plastic pollution’s widespread impact.