CLARK FREEPORT, Pampanga, Philippines — Bruce Tolentino, a Monetary Board (MB) member, has raised concerns over the plan to expand the rollout of Kadiwa outlets nationwide, noting it is “politically easy” yet unsustainable.

Over the weekend, Tolentino said that, although it was easier to curry favor with voters by giving away “ayuda” or cash assistance, financing such an initiative is unviable in the long run. The MB is the policy-making body of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP).