President Rodrigo Duterte signed into law the P5.02 trillion 2022 General Appropriations Act and the bill creating the Department of Migrant Workers on Thursday.

The budget, the biggest in the country's history, seeks to help government cope with COVID-19 pandemic even as the Omicron variant of the coronavirus disease looms.

Six billion pesos from the 2022 budget will be to rehabilitate areas affected by Typhoon ''Odette.''

Duterte voiced his apprehension on the effect of the Omicron variant once it becomes full-blown in the country on the 2022 national budget.

''It’s not a matter of predicting how many will die, but rather preparing for how many

people that will be affected by this mutant. If people are re-infected even if they vaccinated, I really do not know how to… I just hope that we will cope.., if

ever, but we can hardly, you know, we may lose elbow room for the budget to respond to the new challenge of a new variant of the COVID-19.'' said Duterte in his brief speech after signing the two measures into law.

''. I’m leaving the office in a few months. My fear is our response and how it would intrude into the budget... but if the infection is really quick, then we will have the same problem again. ,'' he added.

According to the Department of Budget and Management, the Department of Education has the biggest share of the 2022 budget with P788.5 billion followed by the Department of Public Works and Highways, P786.6 billion; Department of Interior and Local Government, P268.4 billion; Department of Health, P251.3 billion; Department of National Defense, P220.9 billion; Department of Social Welfare and Development, P205 billion; Department of Agriculture, P102.5 billion; Department of Transportation, P75.8 billion; Department of Labor and Employment, P51.3 billion and the Juidiciary, P47 billion.

By sector, social services account for 38.3 percent; economic services, 29.3 percent; general public services, 17.2 percent; debt service interest payments, 10.2 percent; defense, 4.5 percent and net lending 0.6 percent.

Duterte said the ''establishment of the Department of Migrant Workers happens on the celebration of Rizal Day, when we honor, not only the exceptional love of country of Dr. Jose Rizal, but also the patriotism, excellence and courage of our modern-day heroes, including our overseas Filipino (workers).''

The Philippine Overseas Employment Administration will be the backbone of the new department. DMS