Restituto Macuto, director of the Department of Social Welfare and Development-Region 12 (File photo courtesy of DSWD-12) GENERAL SANTOS CITY - The Department of Social Welfare and Development in Soccsksargen (DOH-12) has beefed up its relief stockpile for emergency and disaster response operations in the region. Restituto Macuto, DSWD-12 director, said on Tuesday they currently have standby relief supplies worth PHP51.22 million that are ready for distribution anytime in case of an emergency or a disaster. He said this comprised some 10,313 family food packs worth PHP6,831,533.75 and non-food items worth PHP41,394,665.40. The DSWD-12 has available warehouses in Barangay Morales, Koronadal City, and Barangay New Iloilo in Tantangan, South Cotabato, and three operational trucks that are ready for use in case of response activation, he said. Macuto said the agency also has standby funds worth PHP3,000,969 under its disaster preparedness and response measures. "(We have) five quick response teams with 42 members each who are ready and available for deployment anytime," he said in a report. The DSWD-12 has been providing relief augmentation to local government units responding to residents affected by natural and man-made disasters. Among those assisted by the agency were families affected by the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic in the region's four provinces and four cities. It also provided food packs and other relief items to families hit by the recent weather-related disasters, especially floods and landslides, in parts of Sarangani, South Cotabato, and other localities. Macuto said they are set to deliver food packs to over 300 families that were temporarily displaced due to the floods last October 22 in Glan, Sarangani province. Citing a report from the Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council, he said some 216 families were affected in Barangay Mudan and 108 families in Barangay Padidu. The municipal government of Glan requested from DSWD-12 some 400 family food packs as relief augmentation. (PNA) }