The Outstanding Filipino Awards (TOFA) will hold its 16th annual ceremony Oct. 23–24 in Jacksonville, Florida, bringing together leaders, artists and community advocates from across the United States and the Philippines for a weekend celebrating Filipino excellence.
Returning to emcee the premier Filipino American awards program is renowned television host and media personality Boy Abunda, who has hosted TOFA since 2015.
Abunda, widely known in the Philippines as the “King of Talk,” is a veteran broadcast journalist, talent manager and cultural commentator whose decades-long career has helped shape Philippine entertainment and public discourse. His continued involvement with TOFA underscores his support for recognizing global Filipino achievement and strengthening ties within the diaspora.
TOFA, founded to honor outstanding Filipinos and Filipino Americans across various fields, has grown into one of the most prominent recognition platforms for the community in the United States.
This year’s guest of honor includes former U.S. Ambassador to the Philippines Harry K. Thomas Jr., who served from 2010 to 2013 and played a key role in advancing U.S.-Philippine relations. Joining him is his wife, Mithi Aquino-Thomas, a Filipina advocate known for her work in cultural and humanitarian initiatives that promote Filipino heritage and community engagement.
Among the confirmed awardees attending is Philippine Honorary Consul in Florida Sharol Noblejas, a business leader and civic advocate who represents the Philippine government in Jacksonville and serves the Filipino community across the state.
Also recognized is Joey Omila, a longtime leader with the Philippine Cultural Foundation, Inc. (PCFI) in Tampa and a co-founder and key architect of PhilFest, one of the largest Filipino cultural festivals in the United States, making him one of the longest-serving Filipino community leaders in Florida and the wider U.S.
Redner Salonga, a Jacksonville-based community leader behind Jax Filipinos, will also be honored.
In addition to building community among Filipino residents in Northeast Florida, Salonga is an advocate for autism awareness and co-author of “Bayani and the ABCs of Me,” described in local coverage as an autistic Filipino children’s book and among the first Filipino-authored children’s books to center an autistic Filipino child.
Also joining the honorees is New York City Civil Court Judge Eve Cho Guillergan, who made history as the first Korean Filipino American elected to that judicial position in New York. She is recognized for her work in immigration and public service and for expanding Asian American representation on the bench.
Fashion designer and television personality Veejay Floresca, who recently made international headlines after winning “Project Runway” Season 21 and becoming the show’s first transgender woman champion, will likewise be in attendance, continuing her advocacy for LGBTQ+ visibility in fashion and media.
The two-day celebration will feature performances highlighting Filipino talent from across the country.
Parangal Dance Company, a San Francisco Bay Area–based Filipino folk dance and music ensemble dedicated to preserving and promoting Philippine indigenous and folk traditions, will take part in the program.
They will be joined by Starlink Artists from Los Angeles, a talent and entertainment production company that develops and presents Filipino and Filipino American performers, as well as TOFA artists from New York. These performing groups have been featured for years at TOFA awards nights in New York, Los Angeles, Honolulu and Las Vegas.
Organizers say the 2026 edition aims to further elevate the visibility of Filipino contributions in public service, diplomacy, arts and entrepreneurship.
Founded in New York, TOFA continues to expand its reach nationwide, with Jacksonville serving as this year’s host city. Tickets for the Oct. 24 awards night at the Jacksonville Center for the Performing Arts are now available via Ticketmaster.
