Omicron variant effect on 2022 budget makes Duterte anxious

President Rodrigo Duterte said Thursday that the rising cases of Omicron variant of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is bothering him, saying it could further strain government resources.

Duterte expressed his worries after signing the P5.024 trillion budget for 2022.

"Hindi naman ito fatal, pero [ang] takot [ko] sa resources ng government, itong Omicron pumuputok sa lahat ng bansa. If there will be transmission, we will have the same problem. I am just giving you what is bothering me," Duterte said.

"This might translate to the government pouring resources again due to the resurgence of COVID-19 in another form. I am leaving the office in a few months, natatakot ako sa response nation, how it (Omicron variant) intrude in our [2022] budget," he added.

Duterte said that while the 2022 national budget has allocated funds for COVID-19 response, no one could say how fast Omicron would spread.

"We expect it since the pandemic is ongoing, pero kung hawaan talagang mabilis (but if there is rapid transmission), we will have the same problem again. It is not a matter of predicting how many will die, but preparing how many people will be affected," he said.

"Kung nakakahawa ulit, kahit nabakunahan na, I really don't know....I hope we will be able to cope up. We can hardly...mawawalan ng elbow room itong budget to respond to new challenge of the variant of COVID-19. That is what is worrying me. Otherwise, okay naman," he added.

Acting presidential spokesperson Karlo Nograles earlier said that much of the rehabilitation work and aid for areas devastated by Typhoon Odette a week before Christmas will also be funded by the P5.024 trillion 2022 national budget.—AOL, GMA News