The Manila International Airport Authority is urging passengers to check in at least three hours earlier at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport after two of its four x-ray machines bogged down.

MIAA general manager Alfonso Cusi said about 12,000 people are expected to flock to the terminals this month.

?While the MIAA has already put in place contingency measures to deal with the increase in the number of passengers, we ask departing passengers to come in three to four hours before their scheduled departure time,? he said.

Part of the surge are migrant workers on deployment abroad.

Immigration Commissioner Marcelino Libanan over the weekend ordered 10 people offloaded at Naia terminals 1 and 2 for holding fake travel papers.

Records of the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration said more than 1.3 million workers left for deployment in over 180 host countries, representing a 27.8-percent growth from 1,077,623 workers in 2007.

Labor Secretary Marianito Roque said the global financial crisis could be mitigated by strong labor demand in Canada, Bulgaria, Australia, United Arab Emirates and Qatar among other jobsites. Vito Barcelo