Fourth Filipino conjoined twins successfully separated in Saudi Arabia

Filipino conjoined twins Olivia Faith and Giana Faith Manuel are now living independently from each other after successfully completing their complex separation surgery in Saudi Arabia.

The operation was performed Thursday at King Abdullah Specialist Children's Hospital in Riyadh by the Saudi Conjoined Twins Programme (SCTP), led by pediatric surgeon Dr. Abdullah Al Rabeeah.

The procedure was completed in six surgical phases over six hours and involved a 22-member medical team composed of pediatric surgeons, plastic surgeons, anesthesiologists, and other specialists.

The twins were reported to be in stable condition and were being monitored in the hospital's Pediatric Intensive Care Unit as of early morning Friday (Manila time).

Olivia and Giana are the fourth set of Filipino conjoined twins to undergo successful separation under the program.

Filipino conjoined twins Olivia and Giana Manuel have been successfully separated following a complex surgery in Saudi Arabia. The operation was performed on Thursday at King Abdullah Specialist Children’s Hospital in Riyadh by the Saudi Conjoined Twins Programme (SCTP).@gmanews pic.twitter.com/JA1lrHt9hs

— Sherylin Untalan (@untalansherylin) June 18, 2026

Other Filipino conjoined twins who also underwent the separation surgery under the Kingdom's humanitarian and medical assistance program include Klea Ann and Maurice Ann Misa, who had one of the most complex cases in the world as they were joined in the head. Klea and Maurice were separated in April 2026.

Ann and Mae Manzo were the first Filipino beneficiaries in 2004, followed two decades later by Akhizah and Ayeesha Yusoph of Davao del Norte in 2024.

Joined from chest to abdomen

Olivia and Giana were born on April 8, 2024 in Talavera, Nueva Ecija. They were joined from the chest to the abdomen, a rare condition known as thoraco-omphalopagus conjoining.

The sisters arrived in Riyadh in January after being accepted into the Saudi Conjoined Twins Programme, which provides specialized treatment for complex cases from around the world.

Their mother, Ginalyn Manuel, expressed gratitude to the Saudi government and medical team that made the procedure possible.

"I am so deeply grateful that we found a way to reach out to Saudi Arabia, to have them bring our conjoined twins here to be operated on," she said.

Ahead of the operation, she also shared her hopes for her daughters' future.

"Finally, this is the day we have been waiting for—the day they will have normal lives and live as two separate individuals,” she said.

The Saudi Conjoined Twins Programme was established in 1990 and has performed more than 70 separation surgeries involving conjoined twins from over two dozen countries.

Saudi authorities said all costs related to the twins' surgery, treatment, and post-operative care were covered by the Saudi government. — VDV, GMA News