Tanudan, Kalinga – The Municipality of Tanudan is mourning the passing of one of its leaders who had dedicated years of her life to serving the town, Honorable Grace Dagadag.
IPMR Grace passed away on July 14 while in the United States of America.
Her body currently lies at the Klein Funeral Home in Spring, Texas where the public viewing will take place at 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. on Sunday, July 20, 2025.
For most of Grace’s life’s work, it was focused on improving the lives of iTanudans and working to contribute to the ongoing progress in the municipality, aimed at making a better living and providing opportunities to the next generation.
Grace was selected for her third term as the Indigenous Peoples Mandatory Representative (IPMR) of Tanudan on August 2, 2024. She was no stranger to public service as she also served Tanudan as a mayor in 2001 – 2004, and as a first lady during the mayoralty term of her late husband, Rhustom. She was the one who nurtured Tanudan Mayor Jaedicke Dagadag, whose leadership drove the town to further developments.
According to her daughter, Claudia Dagadag Mariano, Grace was hospitalized in Texas from July 5 to July 13 due to a medical emergency, saying her mother stayed at the Intensive Care Unit for two nights and was downgraded to the Intermediate Medical Unit until her release from the medical facility on July 13.
Claudia further recounted that after spending a few hours with her family following her discharge, the IPMR’s health ‘took a sudden turn for the worse’ and passed away after midnight on July 14.
“We would like to extend our sincerest gratitude to everyone who visited our mother, Grace Dagadag during her hospital stay. We also thank everyone who interacted with her through calls and social media, who offered prayers, words of comfort, and encouragement,” Claudia wrote.
Meantime, Mayor Jaedicke thanked everyone for their prayers and expressed his love for his late mother, saying, “the love and memory of you shall never pass away. LOVE YOU MAMA.”
No confirmed date scheduled yet for the return of the late IPMR’s remains to the Philippines, according to the local chief executive.
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