LONDON - The Philippine Embassy in London hosted its annual gathering of students and young professionals, highlighting the potential and success of Filipinos in the UK.

Dozens of students, academics and urban professionals mingled with each other in an afternoon of food, talks and entertainment at the Cultural Center of the embassy on Suffolk Street.

“I thought it was great,” said Henry Motte-Muñoz, who works for a private equity firm. “I’ve been going to it since 2004, when I’ve started as a student, and we’ve recruited many people when we were running a Filipino society at LSE (London School of Economics) through these embassy events. And then now, coming here as a young professional is interesting to see how it’s very much relevant.”

The event showcased talented young performers, including soprano Karlene Denolo, guitarist LJ Manzano Te, and pop singer Natalie Chua.

It also featured presentations from professionals in different fields, from academia to sports, and politics to finance.

Speakers included Dr. Don Eliseo Lucero-Prisno III, academic from Cardiff University; Adrian Williams, chairman of British Filipino group Philippine Generations; Steven Cheng, political youth representative; Jordan Magtoto, cofounder of the One Filipino initiative; and Neil Etheridge, professional footballer for Fulham FC and goalkeeper for the Philippine national team ‘Azkals’.

“It’s a great way of meeting people and getting them involved,” observed Motte-Muñoz, who also delivered a speech about the Filipino Young Professional Association in London.

He explained: “Our target is to replicate what groups of Singaporean and Malaysian young professionals have done very well, which is to give a platform for people already in the industry to mingle with people trying to break in.”

Young Filipinos are strengthening their presence and position in British society through academic, entrepreneurial, and professional achievements. Guests at the embassy event are prime examples, which included an artist trained at the University of London, a designer trained by fashionistas in London, Manila and New York, a De La Salle graduate who owns a translation business, a solicitor from a top UK law firm, as well as students and graduates from prestigious universities like Oxford, Cambridge and University of the Philippines.

The embassy recognizes this potential and encourages young Filipinos to forge connections with each other to collectively increase their prospects.

“It’s our way of reaching out to the community, particularly to the young professionals and students,” said Consul Emmanuel Donato Guzman from the Philippine embassy in London. “I hope they make the most of this opportunity. There would be plenty of time to introduce and meet each other, make contacts and network.”

The embassy continues its efforts to reach out to a new generation of Filipinos in Britain by launching itself in popular social media platforms like Facebook, YouTube and Twitter.