Thanks.
At the moment I have a HKG-MNL ticket on hold for purchase. I spoke to AA call centre twice, with different answers: first, there wasn't availability at the moment for HKG-MNL segment on awards, but they said if there was I could add the segment to my original award itinerary. On a second conversation they said I couldn't add a segment, so I would have to cancel and book a new ticket MAD-MNL, but there wasn't availability either.
I wonder if a third or a fourth call would get the desired answer.