For journalists who have been covering the automotive beat for years, the Henry Ford Awards (HFA) is often regarded as the local Oscars of the Philippines. While the landscape has evolved with the rise of technology, the internet, and a new wave of content creators and influencers joining the space, the HFA continues to uphold the values of responsible journalism by honoring those who chronicle the ever-changing story of the local automotive industry.
Last May 5 marked a memorable milestone for us as our founding editor and publisher, Kris C. Lim, won the HFA for “Best Automotive Lifestyle Story of the Year.” His entry Luisa’s Journey: A Life on an Electric Three-Wheeler shares the personal story of a courageous PWD rider who has faced numerous hardships on the road both as a commuter and a motorist. The piece highlights themes of humanity and compassion and offers an in-depth report on electric bikes.
While the awarding celebrates excellence in automotive journalism, the 24th HFA also announced a new category for next year’s awards: the Ray Butch Gamboa Lifetime Achievement Award. Named after the ‘Godfather of Motoring’ and an icon of the motoring beat, the late Sir Ray Butch Gamboa, this award honors a legacy that has shaped the industry.
As the event wrapped up, the boys from Ford unveiled two special edition models — the Ford Everest and Ranger. The Everest Sport Special Edition comes in Aluminum Metallic and Snowflake White Pearl, with a starting price of PHP 2,194,000. Meanwhile, the Ranger Sport Special Edition starts at PHP 1,529,000 and is available in Absolute Black, Arctic White, Blue Lightning, and Meteor Grey.
Here are the winners of the 24th Henry Ford Awards:
INDUSTRY CATEGORY AWARDS
Automotive Launch Story of the Year (Print/Online)
- “May the re-entry of a legend save another from oblivion” — Teresa R. Salazar, Philippine Daily Inquirer
Automotive Industry Feature of the Year (Print/Online)
- “Car Ownership 101 – Just say no to an open deed of sale” — Eric Tipan, AutoIndustriya
Automotive Tech Story of the Year (Print/Online)
- “5 Technologies that can impact how we drive in the future” — Dinzo Tabamo, Top Gear Philippines
Automotive Vehicle Review of the Year (Article)
- “The P14.49-M Range Rover Sport is worth every darn peso” — Leandre Mari C. Grecia, Top Gear Philippines
Automotive Lifestyle Story of the Year (Print/Online)
- “Luisa’s Journey: A Life on an Electric Three-Wheeler” — Kristoffer Lim, Motortech.ph
Automotive Electric Vehicle Story of the Year (Print/Online)
- “EV Life Without the Hassle? Here’s the Best Way to Transition.” — Ramoncito ‘Monch’ Henares, Monchster Chronicles
Automotive Column of the Year
- “’Nawalan ng preno’ not a reason for road crashes” — Raymond Gregory B. Tribdino, Malaya Business Insight
Automotive Photograph of the Year (Print/Online)
- “First Drive – A few laps on the track prove that the 2024 Ford Mustang really is all-new” — Carlo Chungunco, Top Gear Philippines
Automotive Short-Form Video of the Year
- “The Honda CRV Hybrid RS Edition – should you daily drive it? Here’s 5 reasons why you should” — Aristo Konstantino Tejano, Apex Motoring Ph
Automotive Vehicle Review of the Year (Video)
- “Can We Make It To La Union in the BYD Atto 3?” — Earl Davidson Lim Lee, AutoDeal
FORD CATEGORY AWARDS
Ford Automotive Article Feature of the Year
- “Why the Next-Gen Ford Territory is an endurance athlete’s choice” — Mark Julius Jucutan, GadgetMatch
Ford Automotive Video Feature of the Year (TV/Online)
- “South African Adventure With The 2024 Ford Everest V6! | First Impressions” — Kristopper Santos, AutoDeal
Ford Automotive Short-Form Video of the Year (Social)
- “How close car photographers get to nail the perfect shot.” — Carlo Chungunco, Top Gear Philippines
The Automotive Journalist of the Year is Carlo Chungunco of Top Gear Philippines, while the Automotive Outlet of the Year is Top Gear Philippines.