Today, motoring stories are no longer written only for readers who know how an engine breathes, how torque is delivered, or how suspension geometry affects the ride. Motoring journalism has evolved into storytelling that appeals even to those who simply appreciate how mobility shapes daily life. It blends journalism and literature to explain what is under the hood, around the tires, and inside the cabin — and how all these affect the way people live, travel, work, and dream.

The Henry Ford Awards has something to do with that.

When the motoring beat started gaining ground in the Philippines during the 1990s, it was often treated as a side assignment for a reporter covering the business desk, particularly the automotive industry. Since it dealt with machines, specifications, and technical jargon, only a handful of journalists chose to stay long in the beat.

I was one of them, having worked as assistant to Manila Bulletin Motoring Section editor Ding Marcelo. For a time, especially after I became motoring editor, I was the only woman journalist regularly covering motoring.

Back then, the beat was largely about product launches, engine upgrades, fuel efficiency, and industry sales. But as the years rolled on, the stories became broader and more human. Motoring writers began telling stories about families on road trips, the environmental challenges of mobility, road safety, the future of transportation, and the role vehicles play in economic growth and nation-building.

Cars ceased to be merely machines. They became part of Filipino life stories.

And the journalists who chronicled these stories helped elevate the motoring beat into a respected and influential field of journalism.

The Henry Ford Awards (HFA), established in 2001, grew alongside that transformation.

I remember attending the first HFA ceremony launched by Ford Philippines. For the first time, motoring journalists had an awards platform dedicated solely to their craft. It was a validation that the beat mattered.

A Ford Philippines executive then shared with me the vision for the HFA. She believed it would someday become the most prestigious recognition in Philippine motoring journalism — one that would honor not only technical knowledge, but compelling storytelling, integrity, and public service.

Time proved that vision correct.

Over the years, an HFA trophy became a badge of credibility and excellence. As the prestige of the awards grew, so did the number and quality of entries. The competition encouraged writers, photographers, videographers, editors, and content creators to sharpen their craft and raise standards.

And as media evolved, so did the awards.

What began as recognition largely for print journalism eventually embraced websites, video platforms, and social media storytelling — reflecting the changing ways Filipinos consume information. Today, the motoring beat lives not only in newspaper pages and glossy magazines, but also in online reviews, podcasts, reels, and long-form video features.

Last week, the Henry Ford Awards celebrated its 25th anniversary under the theme “Stars and Stories in Silver.

Pedro Simoes, managing director, Ford Philippines put HFA’s vision clearly: “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.”

The milestone recognized 15 journalists and four media outlets as “Silver Mile Luminaries,” acknowledging their contribution to the profession and to the industry’s growth. Honored publications included the Business Mirror Motoring Section, Philippine Daily Inquirer Motoring Section, Fast Times of The Manila Times, and Top Gear Philippines.

The awards also recognized outstanding motoring stories and videos published in 2025 — proof that excellent automotive journalism today is no longer confined to newspaper columns but thrives across digital platforms.

This year’s HFA also introduced a new recognition — the Butch Gamboa Memorial Lifetime Achievement Award, named after one of the most respected figures in Philippine motoring journalism and the automotive industry. Butch Gamboa was admired not only for his deep knowledge of cars and the industry, but also for his professionalism, integrity, and mentorship of younger journalists and practitioners.

I am deeply honored — and proud — to have been chosen as the first recipient of the award. But more than a personal recognition, I see it as a tribute to an entire generation of motoring journalists who helped build the beat from its modest beginnings into the respected journalism field it is today.

Yet perhaps the most important legacy of the Henry Ford Awards is not the trophies or citations.

It is the professionalization of the motoring beat itself.

The HFA helped create a culture where automotive journalists strive not merely to promote vehicles, but to tell truthful, responsible, and meaningful stories. It encouraged journalists to view mobility not only through chrome and horsepower, but through its impact on people, communities, safety, sustainability, and national development.

Twenty-five years later, the Henry Ford Awards remains the longest-running awards program for motoring journalism in the Philippines. More importantly, it remains a reminder that journalism — even in specialized fields — matters deeply when it informs, inspires, and connects people.

The motoring beat has truly grown up. And with it grew generations of storytellers who discovered that behind every steering wheel is always a human story waiting to be told. (Email: [email protected])