ABS-CBN's new daily noontime show Magandang Tanghali Bayan started premiering on November 30, 1998, airing from 12 noon to 1:30 pm, Philippine time.

The original hosts of "MTB" were Randy Santiago, John Estrada, Willie Revillame, Christine Jacob-Sandejas, Roderick Paulate, Vanessa del Bianco, Yen Serrano, and Amy Perez.

It gave "MTB" better overall ratings than 'Sang Linggo nAPO Sila, and the show even overtook IBC's Chopsuey Espesyal (which was later replaced by Alas Dose sa Trese and Lunch Break) and GMA's Eat Bulaga!

The Calendar Girl portion became notorious for the main hosts' risqué jokes which subsequently got warnings from Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB), then headed by veteran actress Armida Siguion-Reyna.

Changes were suddenly made after the February 7, 2001 episode, when main host Willie Revillame was axed from the show after citing creative differences between him and the staff.

In March 2002, MTB lost a co-host, Rico Yan, who died during his Holy Week vacation in Dos Palmas Resort, Palawan.

The quintet Power Boys, the dance group G-Girls, morning traffic angel Pia Guanio, and upcoming teen star Maoui David were among those who joined in the fun.

"Magandang Tanghali Bayan" ended its four-year run on February 21, 2003, coinciding with the departures of co-hosts Roderick Paulate and Amy Perez from the noontime slot to give way to Willie Revillame's TV comeback on the same timeslot.

The title of the replacement show ("Masayang Tanghali Bayan") and Willie's co-hosts (among them Randy Santiago and John Estrada) were not revealed until 12:00nn of February 22, 2003.

It was on the initial telecast on February 22, 2003, when Willie Revillame revealed the title "Masayang Tanghali Bayan" and his co-hosts through an elaborate opening number.

He was joined by Randy Santiago, John Estrada, Dennis Padilla, Ai-Ai delas Alas, Bayani Agbayani, Mickey Ferriols, and Aubrey Miles.

Like its predecessor, the second version of "MTB" also courted controversy when John Estrada and Willie Revillame were suspended because of delivering their usual green jokes during the "Super Jack en Poy" jackpot round.

However, before 2003 was about to end, Willie Revillame resigned from the show after a public outcry when he delivered a derogatory joke to midget co-host Mahal during her birthday.

However, "Masayang Tanghali Bayan" failed to sustain viewership and was given the axe on February 20, 2004 coinciding with the departures of hosts Randy Santiago and John Estrada from the noontime slot.

The ABS-CBN management capitalized on Ai-Ai delas Alas' rising popularity following her box-office triumph in Star Cinema's Ang Tanging Ina.

Mickey Ferriols and Tado were also retained from the former show along with the younger favored co-hosts and were joined by the Viva Hot Babes, and newcomers BJ Manalo, Jeni Hernandez, and Empoy.

and "Luv Idol: Ur D Pair" gained popularity among the viewers and gave birth to the showbiz careers of Ahron Villena, AJ Dee, and JE Estrada.

The show ended on February 4, 2005, and was replaced by Wowowee, hosted by Willie Revillame, who made his third comeback on the ABS-CBN noontime slot due to public clamor.

There is a bargaining session when the host (usually Willie Revillame and later Dominic Ochoa on the show's reformat) would offer cash (pera) in exchange for the contestant abandoning the prize hidden in the bayong.

The prizes in the bayong would range from nothing to electronics, to appliances, to a house and lot, to a showcase of the day, to a grocery package, to a trip, to a tricycle, to a car, to fruits and vegetables (e.g. Watermelon), to food, to gears, to toys (e.g. Doll), to clothes (e.g. T-shirt), to footwears (e.g. Bakya) or to various cheaper objects and later to ₱1 million on the reformat.

Sometimes family members went to a TV inside the cafeteria at the ABS-CBN studios to see what the prize was, then tried to influence the crowd to beg for the contestant to take whatever was in the bayong.

The grand coronation of "Calendar Girls" airs usually in the first half of January, featuring all the monthly winners of the past year who will vie for the title.

The said portion gained notoriety, where the contestants were subjected to double entendre questions and risqué jokes thrown by main hosts Randy, John, and Willie Revillame.

When the show reformatted in the later years, other segments that made an impact were: Sing Alis, Ano Ka, Hilo?, Oo, Kaya Ko!

Veteran actors Mark Gil, Paquito Diaz, Nanding Josef, Bayani Agbayani, Bentong, Norman Mitchell, Mike Gayoso, Hyubs Azarcon, Bangkay, Vangie Labalan and Bella Flores with very special participation of Noli de Castro, Ernie Baron, Marc Logan, Francis Pangilinan, Roderick Paulate and Amy Perez had pivotal roles in the movie while young actresses Tracy Vergel and Kristine Hermosa joined MTB mainstay Vanessa del Bianco as leading ladies to respective lead stars Willie Revillame, Randy Santiago and John Estrada.

In between their responsibility, the cousins took odd jobs to survive life in the city and incidentally fell in love with the three daughters of Don Juanito, the prospective buyer of the said land.

While watching TV, the cousins coincidentally found a solution to the problem by joining the famous game show "Pera o Bayong" which offered the same amount that they need to keep the land.