MANILA - Hundreds of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) had to endure long, disorderly lines just to get their Overseas Employment Certificates (OECs) validated at the NAIA Terminal 3 on Monday.

OFW Don Michael De Leon said they were told that the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) online system has been down since Sunday, New Year's Day, and that they had to get their OECs validated manually.

An OEC is a requirement for an OFW who is returning to work abroad in order to make sure he or she is documented.

To make the situation worse, De Leon said there was only one Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) booth accommodating the large number of OFWs.

The POEA said around 350 passengers were affected on Monday by the problem in their online system.

In a letter, POEA's Tristan Formos of the agency's Labor Assistance Counter asked the Bureau of Immigration to accept OFWs with OECs.

In this letter, the POEA asks the Bureau of Immigration to let OFW's with OEC's check in. Photo: Bettina Magsaysay, ABS-CBN News

De Leon, who was returning to work in Malaysia, said the problem was resolved after OFWs were told to go straight to the Immigration booth.

De Leon, however, said some OFWs already missed their flights because of the problem. He even caught on video a woman complaining about lost baggage while waiting in line.

"Now, someone has lost her luggage in the span of a few seconds while she looked away to get her paper stamped," he said.

De Leon claimed that at one point, instead of helping in controlling the situation, some members of the airport police were telling passengers to cut into lines.

"Airport police even telling us to 'singit' (what?!?!?) There is a pronounced lack of order and needs immediate intervention. Help, please," he said.

Another OFW, Chari Sevilla, said it took her 1 hour and 45 minutes to have her OEC validated. --with reports from Bettina Magsaysay, ABS-CBN News