The twenty-sixth named storm of the annual typhoon season, Pabuk formed on December 20 as a low-pressure area, later upgraded into a tropical depression.

On December 22, PAGASA named the storm Romina due to its imminent threat to the Kalayaan Islands, even though it was still outside the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR).

[4] However, due to its imminent threat to the Kalayaan Islands, PAGASA named the depression Romina, even though it was still outside the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR), at 11:00 PHT (03:00 UTC) on December 22, and began issuing advisories on it.

[9] On 21:00 UTC, Pabuk showed deep convection flaring on the northwestern periphery of a low-level circulation that was mostly exposed.

[10] On December 23, PAGASA issued its final advisory on Romina as it moved away from the Kalayaan Islands and lifted the wind signals.

[11] On 03:00 UTC, the JTWC classified the storm intensity as high confidence, with a ridge steering the system west northwestward.

[16] On 06:00 UTC on December 25, Pabuk decreased into a tropical depression status because of an unfavorable environment, prompting the JMA to issue their final prognostic reasoning.

[23] Pabuk also caused Baco, Oriental Mindoro to issue a state of calamity due to intense flooding.