Take advantage of your layover in MANILA!

Things you should know before traveling to Manila:

No tourist visa required for U.S. citizens.
Verify with your phone provider about an international data plan.
Make sure you have a traveler's medical insurance.
Download useful apps: Wanderlog, Google Maps, Grab, and Google Translate.
Learn about cultural practices to show respect.
Passport must have 6 months' validity remaining when you enter Philippines; sufficient space for an entry stamp.
Check the weather forecast for the dates you are planning to go to dress accordingly.

We had a 12-hour layover in Ninoy Aquino International Airport and of course, took whole advantage of it. To exit the airport we had to scan a barcode and fill out information about our arrival and departure from Manila (Nobody asked for it though). We booked a 5-hour tour with a tourist guide through Viator. We took a Grab app taxi to the meet up point with the tourist guide. It was maybe a 10 minutes drive.

PS. Don't forget to withdraw some cash from an ATM at the airport in case cards are not accepted somewhere, for tips or as a souvenir.

In a van with the driver, guide and another couple from New Zealand, we visited the following areas:

Drive past Old Manila and Modern Manila to experience the shocking difference between the two. Old Manila is ruled by the government and Modern Manila is privatized. The locals transport themselves in Jeepneys. These are repurposed old jeeps left by the U.S. Army into public minibuses.
Stop at the Manila American Cemetery and War Memorial. It contains the largest number of graves of our military dead of World War II, a total of 16,859, most of whom lost their lives in operations in New Guinea and the Philippines.
Stop at the San Agustin Church. This intricate Baroque architectural design is part of the UNESCO World Heritage.
Have a coffee break at Belfry Café, right underneath the church’s ginormous bells.
Stop at the Intramuros district to Fort Santiago. It is one of the oldest fortifications in Manila built by the Spaniards in 1571. Admission fee is included in the tour. PS. Get a souvenir from the stores around that area.
The guide dropped us off at Mall of Asia where we had a delicious meal at Manam Comfort Filipino. The mall is currently the largest shopping mall in the Philippines and the fifth in the world. At the restaurant we had Pancit Palabok, Lumpias and fruit smoothies. To our surprise, Philippines has a longer Christmas than Puerto Rico. We were in Mall of Asia on September 16 and there was x-mas décor and a countdown for Christmas at the entrance of the mall. I love it!!!
Took a Grab app taxi back to the airport.