I will be taking the 7:30am flight from HKG to MNL, and have a 3 hour wait time before boarding my flight again at 12:35pm from MNL back to HKG. I've done this before but I had to go through immigration and exit from arrival, then pass through security and immigration from the departure level again. Even though I had my return flight boarding pass printed in HKG, there was just no "transit" area that I can see. Does anyone have any experience doing a turn in MNL and whether I can request CX to get a ground staff to take me through transit without me needing to go through immigration? If so, do I make this request by phone or do I request when I check-in at HKG?

For those wondering, I am doing this because I bought my ticket out of MNL for my flight to Japan (also on the same day) - for the points!

Many thanks.