More than 170,000 people fled to evacuation centers, as the system moved to the South China Sea west of the Palawan island province, eventually dissipating on December 9.

[5] At the time, bands of atmospheric convection were flaring around the disturbances poorly defined low-level circulation centre, while the system was located in an area of moderate vertical windshear with sea-surface temperatures of 28–30 °C (82–86 °F).

[5] Over the next couple of days, the system's low-level circulation centre slowly consolidated further and came under the influence of a developing anticyclone, which allowed vertical windshear to become more favourable for tropical cyclogenesis.

[10] Later that day, the JMA upgraded the depression to Tropical Storm Bopha (1224),[11] and early on November 27 the JTWC followed suit after a strong burst of thunderstorms over the center.

At around the same time the system's eye structure improved, it began to explosively intensify, becoming a Category 4 storm in 18 hours, while being less than five degrees from the equator.

At that time, an anticyclone located northeast of Bopha continued to provide ample radial outflow and low vertical wind shear over the system, causing favorable conditions, leading to its re-intensification.

Overnight, the convection around the storm center weakened, but made another burst on December 7, with an eye-like feature shown only in microwave imagery.

[31] As Bopha was organizing, the National Weather Service (NWS) in Guam issued a tropical storm watch for the FSM islands of Nukuoro and Lukunor.

[38] With Bopha expected to strike Mindanao and Visayas, as well as areas in Southern Tagalog and Metro Manila, the possibility of landslides was advised in Surigao, Davao, Compostela Valley, Misamis, Bukidnon, Lanao del Norte, Lanao del Sur, Zamboanga, Leyte, Cebu, Bohol, Negros, Panay and Mindoro.

[43] The national police, coast guard (PCG) and navy had placed their personnel on standby and their disaster-response units in preparation for Bopha's impact.

Let us warn operators of small vessels, motor bancas, and fishing boats to avoid sailing in the southeastern and eastern section of the country where the sea is rough," said PCG spokesman Commander Armand Balilo.

[49] Typhoon Bopha made landfall over Mindanao on December 4, destroying homes, cutting power and forcing the cancellation of flights and ferry services.

[59] Typhoon Bopha packed winds of up to 175 mph when it struck the island nation, bringing torrential rains that flattened entire villages, leaving thousands homeless, as well as washing out roads and bridges needed by rescue personnel trying to reach stricken regions.

[60] The death toll from Bopha rose to 82 as rescuers attempted to reach areas cut off in flash floods and mudslides.

"[62][63] Flood waters “rampaged down a mountain, engulfing emergency shelters and washing away an army truck” the Associated Press (AP) reported.

[65] Lieutenant Colonel Lyndon Paniza of the army’s 10th Infantry Division, said fatalities from Compostela Valley had gone up to 142, 69 of whom were from a flash flood the previous day in New Bataan.

[66] "Electrical poles snapped like matchsticks as Bopha's devastating winds howled across Mindanao, leaving large swaths of territory without power.

[67] Arthur Uy, governor of the worst-hit province, Compostela Valley in Mindanao, said raging water and mud from the mountains had swept through school buildings, covered courts, town halls, and health centers where residents had taken shelter.

"The waters came so suddenly and unexpectedly, and the winds were so fierce; that compounded the loss of lives and livelihood," Uy told Reuters in a telephone interview.

[68] By the evening of December 5, 280 fatalities had been reported on the islands with hundreds missing, while rescuers were attempting to reach areas cut off by floods and mudslides.

[78] Social Welfare Secretary Corazon Soliman said the government had sought help from the Swiss-based International Organization for Migration to build temporary shelters for Bopha survivors.

President Benigno Aquino III sent navy ships with food and other supplies to 150,000 people on Mindanao's east coast, where three towns remained cut off by landslides and wrecked bridges.

Officials said many of the Mindanao victims were poor migrants who had flocked by the thousands to mountainous, landslide-prone sites like the towns of New Bataan and Monkayo to work at unregulated small-scale gold mines.

[85] The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council placed the death toll from the typhoon at 902 and could reach a thousand as 635 remain missing.

[87] Due to its high death toll and damage, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) announced that the name Pablo was decommissioned and will no longer be used for tropical cyclones.