Although a strategy for promoting facility-based delivery has been introduced by the government of the Philippines to reduce maternal mobidity and mortality, the Municipality of Kabasalan in the province of Zamboanga Sibugay still has incidence of maternal deaths. An analytical cross-sectional designwith focused group discussion (FGD) was used to determine the utilization rate andthe factors associated with the utilization of Basic Emergency Obstetrics and Newborn Care (BEmONC) center servicesamong Women of Reproductive Age (WRA) in the Municipality of Kabasalan. A total of 435 respondentsfrom 15 selected barangayswere included in the survey through multi-stage sampling. An interviewer-assisted questionnaire was utilized during data collection and a series of FGDs was also conducted to gather the perceptions of the respondents on pregnancy, healthcare provider and healthcare delivery. The study concluded that the utilization rate of BEmONC center services is 52.41%. Three (3) factors were identified to have significant association with the utilization of BEmONC center services and these were;“having time to comply to scheduled visits”(OR=2.100, p-value= 0.001), “accessibility” (OR=3.158, p-value= 0.004) and “discussion of healthcare providers on birth preparedness”(OR=7.505, p-value= 0.000). These findings indicate that social and healthcare system factors emerged to be the main factors associated with the utilization of BEmONC center services. These were further supported by the thematic summary findings of the FGD which revealed that perception on susceptibility and complications on pregnancy as well as perception on healthcare providers and distance of houses from the BEmONC facilityare factors which influenceWRAin utilizing the BEmONC center services. It is, therefore, recommended that provision of maternal healtheducation be strengthened. Improvement on birth preparedness and accessibility of the BEmONC center as well as strict implementation of “No to Home Delivery”shall be reinforced.

Keyword: Basic emergency obstetrics and newborn care BEmONC Women of reproductive age