Ford Philippines marked a historic milestone as it celebrated the 25th anniversary of the Henry Ford Awards (HFA), the only awards program in the country that recognizes excellence in motoring journalism.
With this year’s theme, “Stars and Stories in Silver,” the HFA recognized individuals and publications that have shaped the local motoring media landscape over the past 25 years. In line with this milestone, 25 were presented at this year’s HFA with a special edition trophy that is simultaneously classic and contemporary in concept and design.
“As we celebrate the 25th Henry Ford Awards, we are proud to recognize 25 outstanding journalists and outlets whose gift of storytelling, integrity, and professionalism have made a lasting impact on the automotive industry,” said Ford Philippines managing director Pedro Simoes. “The motoring media have always been an invaluable part of our industry—helping bridge automotive players like Ford with the Filipino public, and the Henry Ford Awards serves to honor their dedication and commitment to their craft.”
In this landmark year, Ford Philippines pays tribute to 19 Silver Mile Luminaries—15 esteemed journalists and 4 media outlets who have garnered the most awards throughout the 25-year history of the HFA.
Silver Mile Luminaries (journalists): Jason Ang; Ulysses Ang; James Deakin; Manny de los Reyes; Ronald de los Reyes; Junep Ocampo; Vince Pornelos; Iñigo Roces; Tessa R. Salazar; Vernon Sarne; Paulo Rafael Subido; Dinzo Tabamo; Niky Tamayo; Eric Tipan; and Steven Edward Yu.
Silver Mile Luminaries (publications); BusinessMirror Motoring Section; Philippine Daily Inquirer Motoring Section; Fast Times of The Manila Times; and Top Gear Philippines.
More than just celebrating the stalwarts of the automotive industry, this year’s HFA also recognized the impact of the new breed of motoring media and content creators in the automotive industry. The board of judges took part in evaluating close to 100 entries submitted for the Industry and Ford categories, and have named the following winners in the 5 categories:
● Automotive Vehicle Review of the Year (article) – “What the Mazda Miata means to my family despite never having owned one” by Carlo Chungunco for Top Gear Philippines;
● Automotive Vehicle Review of the Year (video) – “2025 Nissan Z Nismo Review | Sharper, Faster, Greater” by Earl Lee for AutoDeal;
● Ford Launch Story of the Year – “What happens when the car you once loved returns as a hybrid?” by MJ Jucutan for GadgetMatch;
● Ford Automotive Video Feature of the Year – “2025 Ford Bronco Review | The Best Off-Roader Yet?” by Jack Gutierrez for AutoDeal;
● Ford Automotive Short-Form Video of the Year – “Ford Bronco: Can you tame this beast?” by Roy Robles for Zigwheels Philippines
One of the biggest highlights of this year’s HFA was the awarding of the Butch Gamboa Lifetime Achievement Award to Manila Bulletin executive editor Pinky Concha-Colmenares. This prestigious award recognizes a journalist whose body of work has made a profound and lasting impact on the industry, informing and inspiring audiences while elevating the standards of automotive storytelling. Colmenares brought home the award after a multiple-phase selection process.
“The Butch Gamboa Lifetime Achievement Award is a tribute to the legacy of Butch Gamboa, one of the Philippine automotive industry’s most revered figures. We are honored to present this award to Pinky Colmenares, a pillar of Philippine motoring journalism in her own right. She has been a beacon of inspiration where her excellence, professionalism and passion to serve have paved the way for the continued success of motoring journalism and its impact to the broader automotive industry,” said Ford Asia Pacific distributor markets and the Philippines communications director EJ Francisco.
Philippines communications director EJ Francisco
To know more about Ford Philippines, visit its official website https://www.ford.com.ph/.
Banner photo shows the 25th HFA awardees, with TessDrive’s Tessa R. Salazar (front row, 4th from left)