Parents of Siamese twins plead for help

Twenty-day old Siamese twins Rachel Frances and Lea Grace Awel are scheduled to be transported from the Kalinga Provincial Hospital to the Philippine Children’s Medical Center in Metro Manila anytime today for an expensive operation to separate them physically.

This was according to Kalinga Gov. Macario Duguiang, who claimed that the parents of the Siamese twins were still appealing to good Samaritans for additional financial assistance.

"They will be transported to Manila kahit wala pang malaking halaga na hawak ang kanilang mga magulang for the operation," said Duguiang, in a cellphone interview.

Duguiang admitted that he had no idea how much was needed for the operation of the Siamese twins but he claimed that it would be expensive. "Baka nga kung hindi puwede ang operation sa Philippine Children’s Medical Center, baka sa Philippine General Hospital namin dadalhin ang dalawa," he said.

It was learned that the father of the Siamese twins, Andy, is an ordinary farmer from Pasil, Kalinga, while their mother, Marietta, is a plain housewife.

Born on July 1, the Siamese twins have remained in the hospital until now because the need to bring them to Metro Manila for an operation is being thwarted by financial constraints.

Dr. Marlyn Duyan, head of the Kalinga Provincial Hospital Pediatrics Department, declared that as of July 7, the girls, although slightly underweight are feeding well and are not affected by any infections.

Duyan added that the hope of normal life for the Siamese twins "is bright" because X-ray results revealed that the girls, although conjoined at their abdominal areas and sharing a single navel, have independent sets of vital organs.

Good Samaritans can channel donations to Social Worker Crescencia Calizar at the Social Service Department of the Kalinga Provincial Hospital in Bulanao, Tabuk, Kalinga. – Marley Palangchao