NAGA -- Taguig Rep. Pia Cayetano, who is seeking a return to the Senate, backed Thursday a proposed law that would give a monthly compensation of P2,000 for the country's poorest housewives.

Under House Bill 8875 filed by Albay Rep. Joey Salceda, mothers with a child aged 12 and below would be entitled to the wages that would cost the government P35 billion yearly.

"The woman is the unpaid worker. Naniniwala ako na may katumbas na halaga. There might be different ways it could be monetary or non-monetary," said Cayetano at a campaign sortie here.

"We have to do the numbers and si Congressman Salceda magaling talaga sa numero yun so support ako sa kanya," she added.

(Congressman Salceda is good with numbers so I support him.)

The measure is pending before the House Committee on Women and Gender Equality.

Cayetano ranked 4th to 6th among 16 likely winners in May's Senate race, according to a Pulse Asia opinion poll released Thursday.

"Sa nature ng personality ko, never akong nagkampante," Cayetano said of her survey performance.

(With the nature of my personality, I've never been complacent.)

Cayetano enjoys the backing of the president's daughter, Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio, who chairs the regional party Hugpong ng Pagbabago.

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