Influencing reproductive health policy and programs in the Philippines: Implementing an advocacy model for utilization of operations research

This project tested a model of operations research (OR) dissemination and utilization targeting program managers in Mindanao, the second largest island of the Philippines. The model combines capacity-building with the use of innovative advocacy approaches to disseminate OR results, by creating a network of policy champions who will advocate the use of OR findings through a variety of strategies after they have been provided with information on the advocacy issue and their presentation skills enhanced. The project demonstrated that this type of network could lead to significant program changes, but also revealed that there is no single strategy or approach to effective advocacy, that the level of “maturity” of the OR result is an important variable in the OR advocacy and utilization equation, and that the necessary institutional support system is a critical factor in the assimilation and utilization of a research result. This report recommends that the project be extended to implement the full range of advocacy activities originally drawn up in the project proposal, namely advocacy of the unmet need concept and community-based management information system to policymakers, and of adolescent reproductive health to both policymakers and program managers.