By ANGELO ANGOLO
ABS-CBN Bacolod
Residents of Barangay Miranda in the town of Hinigaran, Negros Occidental are ecstatic!
Their barangay has become an instant tourist attraction as people from neighboring barangays and towns flock to their place eager and curious to see an extraordinary banana plant.
They themselves were caught in awe upon discovering the banana plant just beside the barangay hall which has five hearts.
Normally, only one banana heart or blossom is borne at the end of a bunch. This unusual one however has five. Each heart has male flowers clinging in rows and protected by reddish bracts.
Nobody knows for sure how old the bunch is. The five hearts were first noticed a month ago. This is reportedly the first time that such a rare phenomenon happened not only in Miranda but in the whole province.
And if local folks are to be believed, the banana is a good-luck charm.
Some parts of the buds have started transforming into fruits. The barangay officials believe it is unlikely for the five buds to ripen into bunches.
The stem could not simply hold the weight of the bunch. A pole has been placed to prevent the tree from falling to the ground.
But still, looks like nobody is in a hurry to cut the tree and harvest the fruit.
So while it lasts, the residents are proud that visitors now frequent their barangay to see the unusual banana plant.