Plates overflowed with Friday’s munch-ons and Italianni’s bread and pastries, while Outback’s bar filled everybody’s cups with their favorite drinks. Making sure that food and drinks were served nonstop were Friday’s director for operations Robert Santos, Outback Restaurant operating partner Ed de los Reyes and Italianni’s Restaurant general manager Jean Paul Manuud and their efficient team of managers and servers.
The three restaurants’ treats were the perfect appetizers, so to speak, to the evening’s spectacular shindig that featured red-hot performances from the nominees. There was the memorable opening number that featured Best Group contenders Rivermaya (who was the big winner of the night with three awards for Umaaraw, Umuulan), Barbie’s Cradle and True Faith. Gary Valenciano (who won the Best Male Award) and Kyla (who won the Most Favorite Love Ballad Award) also took the stage and delivered a heartfelt performance of Can We Just Stop and Talk Awhile. Then there was diva Regine Velasquez. Other performers were Maegan Aguilar, Carol Banawa, Karl and Kevin Roy and Jet Pangan, Imago, 7 Shots of Wisdom and Grace Nono.
Hosting MTV Pilipinas 2002 was the wacky Martin Nievera who gabbed it up with MTV VJs Donita Rose, Sarah Meier, Belinda Panelo and KC Montero. The other big winners of the evening were Karylle who received the Best New Artist and Best Female honors, Parokya ni Edgar with their Music Achievement Award and Best Song honor, and Cheese with their Most Stylish Video Award for Mottaka.