Manila, Jan. 27 -- Executive Secretary Ralph Recto on Monday met with officials of key agencies to fast-track government assistance to communities hit by natural calamities, underscoring President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.'s directive for swift and timely relief.

The meeting included the Department of Budget and Management (DBM), the Office of Civil Defense (OCD) and the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG).

During the meeting, Recto underscored President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.'s marching orders, which include ensuring that assistance reaches affected families "swiftly and on time."

Recto also emphasized the need "to simplify the current process for vetting local government units' requests to remove bottlenecks and spe...