Beneath the Philippine waters, you can find sea cucumbers, the spotted and scary-looking creatures, which are a hit in Chinese restaurants. The country enjoys a booming industry as one of the main exporters of sea cucumbers. But as the demand for sea cucumbers continue to rise, so is the danger of leading these creatures to extinction.

This Tuesday (Dec 8) on “The Correspondents,” Dominic Almelor will explore the waters of Sibale Island in Romblon where the sea cucumber industry is at its peak. He will follow the story of Mang Adel, a ‘mangbabalat’ or a sea cucumber diver for 15 years.

Dominic will unveil not only the dangers a “mangbabalat” has to face to get hold of these creatures, but also the possibility that sea cucumbers will disappear in the future.

Visit http://thecorrespondents.multiply.com for other stories featured in the program. Join Dominic Almelor on “The Correspondents” this Tuesday night (Dec 8), right after “Bandila” only on ABS- CBN.