Asoy, J. R. A. (2017). Implementing advocacy and strengthening education and information campaign to increase the utilization of maternal health care in San Remigio, Antique (Unpublished master's thesis). Graduate School of Public and Development Management, Development Academy of the Philippines.

Graduate School of Public and Development Management. Health Systems and Development. Batch 7 Thesis (MPM-HSD)--Development Academy of the Philippines.

The Philippines has placed health (in general) and maternal health (in particular) high on its political agenda of reform. This was highlighted in the Health Agenda of the new administration which is "All for Health towards Health for All" to attain health related sustainable development goals. San Remigio is a 3rd class municipality in the province of Antique with an increased number of maternal mortality. There is low utilization of maternal health care (MHC) services (pre-natal visit, facility-based delivery, and post-partum check-up) by mothers in the municipality. The researcher formulated three objectives from the identified problems. The study aims to determine the current maternal health status of the municipality in terms of pregnant women's utilization of maternal health care services and the correlation of socio-demographic factors contributing to their utilization. TCL and FHSIS from 2014-2016 data on the percentage of women availing the MHC were gathered, reviewed and analysed. In the study locality, two out of three neonatal mortality are secondary to home deliveries. Deliveries assisted by TBA's and other unauthorized persons are rampant, increasing each year and significantly higher in 2016 (80%). PPV trend is decreasing while PPC is increasing, reaching 67.78% in 2016. Questionnaires were given to all midwives, nurses, doctors, and members of local health board on their opinions on the adequacy/inadequacy and efficiency/inefficiency centered on the six building blocks of health system. FGD was also utilized by the researcher together with nurses and midwives in selected barangays. The second objective was to determine the correlation of the socio-demographic factors to the frequency of utilization and the factors hindering them from utilizing maternal health care. There were 275 mother respondents who participated. Women of 15-24 age group are more likely to complete PNVs than other groups. Many haven't completed PPV's and PPC's because of poor health-seeking behaviour, in adequate knowledge, financially instability, unemployment low educational attainment and the geographical distance. Facility-based deliveries are the highest in the 15-24 age-group. Other mothers delivered at home because of rampant TBAs in the locality. Religion and parity shows no direct correlation to the FBD. Factors were also compared to each other, how one socio-demographic group of women performs over the other, using inferential statistics--odds ratio, confidence interval and Fisher's P value--to determine a significant correlation. Lastly, this aimed to formulate and implement strategies to improve maternal health care service utilization which would improve maternal health outcomes. The strategies were: Community-based interventions using COMBI approach, researcher integrated health education, IEC and community mobilization through Usapan Sessions, BHW's capacity building and social marketing. " Sa RHU, ang bata kag Nanay Sigurado!" is an advocacy for pregnant mothers that focuses on two different safe-motherhood topics; first, pregnancy care and birth preparation and second labor, delivery and post-partum periods. Another thrust was the creation of a resolution to pass an ordinance entitled: "Prohibition of Traditional Birth Attendant Known as "Peralta" and Other Unauthorized Persons to Conduct Home Birth Deliveries in the Municipality of San Remigio. The formulation of this ordinance supports the campaign and advocacy on safe-motherhood and aims to decrease maternal and neonatal deaths/complications. The said ordinance is still in review by council One possible solution that is carried out during the thorough investigation of the problem and as to the sustainability of the ordinance after implementation is the creation of half-way homes / "balay-puly-an" that will serve as temporary home for pregnant women living in the GIDA areas while waiting for their near expected delivery and for post-partum care.