Viral video: Filipino teachers swim through floodwaters

Manila: A viral video has drawn attention to the severe impacts of Tropical Depression Verbena, which battered parts of the Visayas and Mindanao on November 25, 2025.

The footage, posted by Bayanihan Today on X, shows teachers wading — and swimming — through floodwaters filled with debris along a riverbank, highlighting the risks faced by travellers and the strain placed on emergency response systems.

Desperation

The video’s caption laments the desperate conditions: “These teachers are literally swimming through floodwaters just to go home, that’s not dedication, that’s desperation caused by a system that keeps failing them.”

As the group carefully crossed the fast-moving, sediment-heavy stream, the scene underscored the peril and resilience demanded by the storm.

Verbena triggers flooding

Early reports marked Verbena’s entry into the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) on Monday as the third storm for November, and the 22nd in 2025, with landfall first recorded in Bayabas, Surigao del Sur, before progressing northwestward toward Negros Island.

The system brought sustained winds of 55–65 kph, with gusts up to 80 kph. Local governments coordinated rescues and aid delivery, with the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) prepositioning over one million emergency food packs and supplies.

According to weather bureau Pagasa, heavy rains from Verbena triggered flooding across multiple regions, stranding travellers and leading to evacuation alerts in low-lying and landslide-prone communities.

In a press briefing, weather specialist Leanne Loreto warned that Verbena could intensify into a tropical storm near northern Palawan or over the West Philippine Sea, and the cyclone already spawned hazardous conditions as it swept through eastern Mindanao to western Visayas. ​

No casualties

No casualties have been reported, but authorities advise residents to heed evacuation orders and avoid dangerous crossings. ​

By Tuesday, Pagasa had raised Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal No. 1 for 29 areas across Visayas and Mindanao, warning of 30–60 kph winds and possible power outages, rough seas, and road closures.

Damage to infrastructure and agriculture was reported—one video showed floodwaters sweeping chickens down a street in Antique, while teachers in Leyte navigated destroyed bridges and rising rivers after classes were canceled.

Moderate to heavy rains are seen across Visayas, MIMAROPA, and western Mindanao through Wednesday, with isolated thunderstorms and continued risk of flash floods and landslides.

Signal advisories were reduced to 13 areas by Tuesday afternoon as Verbena tracked westward over the Sulu Sea.

Maritime activities remain suspended in storm-affected waters, and residents are urged to monitor further bulletins from PAGASA’s official website and social media channels.

This latest weather disturbance brings renewed attention to the country’s vulnerability to climate change–related disasters and the tireless efforts of frontline workers amid challenging conditions. ​

Current track and intensity

Tropical depression "Verbena" remains over the coastal waters of Linapacan, Palawan, with maximum sustained winds of 65 km/h and gusts higher at times.

The weather system is moving west-northwest at 20 km/h.

Forecast positions and movement

• By 11am, November 26, Verbena is forecast to be 330 km west of Coron, Palawan, strengthening to 75 km/h and shifting WNW at 25 km/h.

• By 11pm, November 26, the storm may reach 220 km north-northeast of Pag-asa Island, Kalayaan, with winds up to 85 km/h, moving west at 15 km/h.

• As Verbena exits the Philippine area of responsibility, it could reach higher intensities — potentially 95–100 km/h sustained winds over the next 48 to 60 hours, drifting toward the northwest at slower speeds.

• By November 30, the depression is likely to weaken to 65 km/h winds, located 525 km northwest of Pag-asa Island.