A study has found that the soft corals of the West Philippine Sea and the Philippine Rise are among the most diverse in the world, which can be used as medicinal compounds as well as adding aesthetic to many dive sites across the country. The study, “Biodiversity and biogeography of zooxanthellate soft corals across the Indo-Pacific,” led by Dr. Catherine McFadden, published in Nature Scientific Reports, focused on Philippine soft corals, which are among samples that were collected from over 40 countries and territories from 1998 to 2023.

Mendoza, R. (2025, June 25). Soft corals in WPS world's most diverse. The Manila Times, p. A3.