25 March 2004—Foreign Affairs Acting Secretary Rafael E. Seguis expressed deep appreciation and gratitude to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for its generosity and benevolence for bankrolling the successful operation of conjoined baby twin sisters from the Philippines.

 “On behalf of all Filipinos at home and around the world who lent their moral and spiritual support to
 the parents of Princess Mae and Princess Manzo, I would like to express my sincere appreciation and
 thanks to the government of Saudi Arabia, under the leadership of Crown Prince Abdullah Bin Aziz, and to
 the team of Saudi doctors, led by Dr. Abdullah Al-Rabeeah, for giving these children the opportunity
 to live normal lives”, Acting Secretary Seguis said.

 “This highly successful operation, shouldered and undertaken by the Saudi Arabian government, is not
 only reflective of the warm relations we have, but also of both our countries’ high regard for human life”, he added.

 The delicate operation, which lasted for more than sixteen hours, was undertaken by a team of 26 doctors
 at the King Abdulazzis Medical Center in Riyadh on 20 March 2004.

 The twins were joined in their lower abdomen and pelvis and have two lower extremities.  Medical
 investigations showed that they shared a large bowel with potential availability of a rudimentary one, two
 urinary bladders with overlapping urethras, two vaginas and uterus, with positional overlap around one
 anus.

 The baby sisters, born on 12 November 2003 in Mandawe City, Philippines, were in good health and stable
 condition over the weekend, the official Saudi Press Agency reported.  - END