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Car Club of the Month
Built tough
The Blue Oval has its own car club on our shores, and it is possibly the only 'American car' group around
Photographs by Erik Lirios
Ford Club of the Philippines (FCP) was originally conceived in 2001. The original internet forum "fizzled out," says founder John Ojeda, but people kept pestering him, wondering what happened to the site. It seemed that there were still die-hards who wanted to keep the club going. So in 2003, the group joined the Tsikot Grand Eye Ball car show. With JP Tuason's Lynx race car and a friend's Ranger Pinatubo as the displays, John and the crew pressed on. Sadly, they only managed to sell one club sticker that night. But they didn't lose hope. They continued to market their forum. Ford owners finally began pouring in, enough to host a decent EB.
The first meeting drew over a dozen members, and then the group began to make it a regular meeting every first Saturday of the month. The attendees began to increase and the next thing John knew, Ford Group Philippines had invited them to join the Ford Centennial Day at the Fort in 2004. "It was the boost we needed to grow even further," he says. Banners and uniforms were then available the following year, and more importantly, a crew of very enthusiastic members poured in.
How many? "We currently have hundreds of active members online, with a core group of around 50 members who participate in real-world events. FCP has held outreach programs, track days, fun runs, picnics, photo-shoots, plant tours and various other events over the years. "We now regularly meet at the Silver City Auto-Mall during Saturdays at the parking lot in front of Gerry's Grill," says John. "Interested Ford owners and enthusiasts can visit and join us there, or online at www.fordclubph.com."
Now who says a car company doesn't reward loyalty? The friendships forged at FCP are definitely built tough, not just among brothers, but between the members and their machines.
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Top Gear Philippines - May 2007
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