Demand Side Predictors of the Demand and Utilization of Maternal and Family Planning Services of the Philippines’ Conditional Cash Transfer Program: A Quantitative Approach

Abstract

The study explores demand for maternal and family planning services among beneficiaries of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program, a conditional cash transfer program in the Philippines. We analyzed 390 households across six provinces in the Philippines through multi-stage sampling. Three models were created: (1) pregnancy during the program, (2) facility-based delivery, and (3) non-utilization of antenatal care visits. The findings show that: (1) For every peso increase in received amounts from the program, the odds of getting pregnant decreased by 0.31%, a negative but weak association, while having more children, living in a high mortality region, having a teenage child, living far (self-perceived) from the health center, marrying at a younger age, and not completing high school also increased the odds of being pregnant. (2) Non-delivery from a health facility was likely for those who lived far from a facility and in a high mortality region, and (3) having a teenager at home increased the likelihood of seeking antenatal visits, while those who have been married longer slacked behind in terms of antenatal visits. The study points to directions for policy and research on access and use of maternal and reproductive health services, and the role of adolescent-aged children.