Hello, my name is Victoria Dans Cagandahan and I am the wife of Protacio Dalay Cagandahan. Please help our family celebrate his life.

Life:

Protacio was born on June 19, 1927 in Paete, Laguna of the Philippines. He was the fourth of five siblings of Simplicio Cagandahan and Andrea Dalay. He graduated as the high school Valedictorian in Baybay Academy, then graduated the Mapua Institute of Technology majoring in civil engineering. He has achieved many things in his life as a civil engineer, including his time in the Middle East for the construction of the Shindan Bridges in 1957–to the design and construction of the controversial Hayward Bypass Project in the United States. For a while, Protacio was also President of the Paetenian International. He has married his first wife, Rafaela N. Madrinan on November 3, 1957. Together, they looked after their adopted daughter Maria Corazon Cagandahan. I met Protacio as a midwife taking care of Rafaela as she became ill. After she has passed away from Alzheimer’s in Paete at age 72, we have gotten married together on May 30, 1997. He has spent the last decades raising his second daughter Marcia Angelique Cagandahan in Sacramento, California and being heavily involved with the local Catholic Churches in the area.

Present (2022):

As of 2022, Protacio is now 95 years old and has lived a very long and fulfilling life. He has been hospitalized last week due to intestinal problems which has weakened his body significantly. In his older years, he has been slowly deteriorating and has been suffering from chronic pain due to his age. Today, he is underneath hospice care as he is nearing his last days. Now he is always surrounded by family and friends who love and cherish him.

Unfortunately, our immediate family has been having trouble getting funds to afford the funeral service for Protacio. For a viewing, mass, and cremation service—the total cost comes up to $7k. As our family is also struggling with rent and other living dues, this price will impact us deeply. We currently do not have enough to pay for his funeral. We wish to honor Protacio’s memory in the best way possible. Thank you for your kindness and support in this difficult time, and we hope Protacio’s story touches the lives of many others.