The multi-awarded Philippine American Group of Educators and Surgeons (PAGES) will celebrate its 20th anniversary this month after serving almost 10,000 indigent Filipino children who suffer from birth defects such as cleft lip and cleft palate.

“We are grateful to God for the opportunity to serve and be thankful for the skills, experience, expertise and the committed hearts and hands of almost 100 medical team members from the United States, United Kingdom, Australia, Canada and Asia who provide their services for free,” said Ricardo Fulgencio, Philippine mission coordinator of PAGES Philippines.

Fulgencio, who also serves as Chairman of the group’s executive committee, reported that almost 10,000 children have benefited from PAGES projects in the country since its creation on May 20, 1990.

The group, which was started by PAGES Founder and Chairman Vid Figueras, a registered nurse from Livingston, New Jersey, was formed in Delaware where it was issued its first Certificate of Incorporation.

In 1990, it began its quest to help children who suffer from birth defects such as cleft lip or cleft palate but cannot afford the cost of surgery and other medical expenses. Its first mission was held in February 1991 at the Ospital ng Maynila and the St. Martin De Porres Charity Hospital in San Juan, Metro Manila.

At the time, the PAGES “A-Team” was able to examine 500 patients and operate on 226 children in the two hospitals.

Since then, the group has spread its mission to include gift-giving programs called “Operation Grace” which provides families residing in its mission sites with care packages, as well as “Operation Excel” which provides trainings and seminars to host hospitals where personnel and other health workers learn about the latest medical techniques used in developed countries.