Letter from Maureen Bernardo

The following letter was e-mailed to the Banares Clan Blogsite Administrator Rodel C. Banares from Maureen Bernardo (bernardo@redzone.com.au):

Dear Rodel,

I have read with interest your family history from the Bicol region. I am the wife of Rondo Banares Bernardo….yes a Banares and have visited your town Back in 1973. How badly are your family affected by this latest volcano/typhoon disaster. We are praying for their safety. I am of the belief that our branch of the Banares (Cornelio) is descended from the first record of your family. He stowed away on a ship after his mother died—he was about 9 years old and finished up in Macau, Hong Kong where he made his own life and dynasty. This knowledge makes me feel concern. Do let me know if the area the family live has been affected badly by this disaster.

MAUREEN BERNARDO

>>>>>>

Blogsite Admin's reply:

Hello Maureen,

Thank you for checking out our clan's news and information page. I am sorry to tell you that Albay province has been badly affected by the recent typhoon (International codename "Durian"). For your information, The towns of Daraga, Sto. Domingo and Legaspi have been badly affected by a mudslide yesterday as a result of the continuous rains that the storm brought in. As of last count, almost 300 are presumed dead or missing. As for our town of Bacacay, we have not heard from any of our relatives and friends since after the storm. We have been told that electricity would not be restored before the 15th of this month. Power cables, cellular sites and other telecommunications towers are either out of order or destroyed by the storm. We are continuing to establish communications with our relatives and we will post any updates in our blogsite www.banares-clan.blogspot.com. I am sorry i have not been able to update our blogsite for the past 24+ hours. I have just arrived from Bataan Province to visit my friend's farm and to report on the storm there.

I believe that all BANARES are related one way or another. Please continue to pray for the Bicol Region.

Hoping to hear from you again,



RODEL C. BANARES
Banares Clan Historian / Blogsite Administrator