Honest empanada vendors return IT columnist’s bag

HONEST EMPANADA VENDORS. Enriqueta “Kris” Serato (Left) and Gilda Mallorca of Bacarra, Ilocos Norte. (Herdz Yumul)

Dominic B. dela Cruz

Staff Reporter

Working on an article comparing the respective empanadas of Ilocos Norte and Ilocos Sur, Herdy La. Yumul, an opinion columnist of The Ilocos Times, was going around different towns to try variations of the famous delicacy. On May 4 in Bacarra town, he did not only discover very good empanada, he also found honest empanada vendors.

At around 11:00 p.m., Yumul accidentally left his belt bag containing a considerable amount of cash, along with various bank and identification cards, in a stall located at the Old Public Market of Bacarra town. He said he was so engrossed in taking pictures that he forgot about the bag he left on a table beside the draining rack. The Riknakem columnist did not realize he lost his belongings until the next day when he was looking for his flash drive which was also in the bag.

Fortunately, vendors Enriqueta “Kris” Serrato and Gilda Mallorca called the landline number indicated in one of the identification cards to inform Yumul’s family that his bag is safe. He then went back to the stall to get his bag with its contents intact.

Serrato—who, like Malllorca, is only an employee of the empanada stall—said it was not the first time important things were left by customers. She said they have also returned cellular phones and wallets, and have never thought twice about doing so. “Kuwarta laeng dayta, sir; haan a magatang iti dayaw ti tao,” they said. (It’s just money, sir; a person’s honor can never be bought.) The two vendors, both residents of Brgy. 4, are both married and with children.

Happy to do a good deed, they remarked in jest, “Gapu iti kinaimas ti empanadami, sir, dagitay dadduma ket malipatanda ti naganda; ngem sika ket nalipatam pay pati bagmo.” [Because our empanada is so delicious, some people forget their names; but you also forgot about your bag.]

Yumul said she brought them cake to celebrate the greatness of the human spirit. Written on it was simply, “Thank you for your honesty.”