I agree. Try to decide what you want to do before buying the ticket, or make sure you buy a fare that is flexible with minimal fees. I went ahead and bought a ticket with a stopover in Hong Kong on the way back from Manila. The problem was I didn't bother to check hotel prices in Hong Kong first. The result is that I'll be paying double the price for the hotel than I would have if I had booked the stopover on the way to Manila. The fees for re-issuing the ticket are too much to justify changing it now. I have a bad case of buyer's remorse now and I can't do anything about it.

Do your homework before you lock yourself into anything.