Secretary Wanda Teo said on Monday the increasing number of cruise ships visiting Manila, as well as Boracay, raises the possibility that the country may yet become an international cruise hub.

“As the first-ever cruise ship to homeport in Manila, Superstar Virgo will etch a milestone in our tourism journey, as both the ship and our shores will provide vacationers, including the locals, the convenience of not having to fly to either Hong Kong or Singapore to take a cruise,” Teo said in a statement.