The Philippine Online Chronicles

Newly sworn-in transportation secretary Manuel “Mar” Roxas II promised on Monday not to give the president headaches and hoped instead to be his “paracetamol,” prompting one news website to dub the onetime vice presidential bet “Maracetamol.”

Secretary Roxas also promised to “do everything in return (for) the trust that the president has given me.”

Earlier, President Aquino disclosed that there are some members of cabinet who give him headaches by being bearers of bad news. Palace officials, however, downplayed this statement by the president.

Roxas, who is also the Liberal Party’s president, said one of his priorities is to review "problematic" contracts of the Department of Transportation and Communications. He said these include the contract for the Ninoy Aquino International Airport-Terminal 3 (NAIA 3) with Philippine International Air Terminal Co., and the Northrail project.

The Aquino administration has promised to review infrastructure projects signed under former president Gloria Arroyo. Last month, it cancelled foreign-funded projects worth $2 billion for alleged contract overpricing.

Roxas also said he will familiarize himself first with the Department of Transportation and Communication (DOTC) and meet with the officials of its attached agencies. These agencies include the Land Transportation Office (LTO), the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB), the Philippine Coast Guard and the Light Rail Transit Authority (LRTA).

Roxas was Aquino's running mate during the 2010 elections. He lost to the current vice president, Jejomar Binay. Roxas was appointed to the DOTC post following the resignation of Jose “Ping” de Jesus.

Also sworn into office on Monday were Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) governor Amando Tetangco, and monetary board members Felipe Medalla and Alfredo Antonio.