2026 JCI World Congress Receives Support from Bureau of Immigration for 6,000 Delegates

MANILA, Philippines — The 2026 Junior Chamber International (JCI) World Congress Organizing Committee sought the support of the Bureau of Immigration (BI) on September 7 to help ensure the smooth and seamless arrival of more than 6,000 delegates from over 120 countries expected to gather in the Philippines this November.

During a courtesy call with the BI, the Organizing Committee and the agency discussed measures to strengthen coordination on visa facilitation, delegate arrivals, and airport operations ahead of the 2026 JCI World Congress, which will be held in Clark, Pampanga from November 11 to 15, 2026.

The courtesy call was led by Hridesh “Raj” Parwani, Chairperson of the Diplomatic Affairs Group of the 2026 JCI World Congress Organizing Committee, together with JCI Senator Miko Palarca, Deputy Conference Directors Gio Valencia, Christian Barry Ang, and Gerry Hung, and Charles De Belen, Vice Chairman for Immigration Affairs.

The Bureau of Immigration was represented by Commissioner Joel Anthony M. Viado, a former Jaycee and JCI Senator, and Atty. Romaine G. Pascual, Technical Assistant at the Office of the Commissioner.

One of the key proposals presented during the meeting was the creation of a real-time master list of incoming delegates containing relevant passport, flight, and visa information. The system is intended to provide immigration and airport authorities with greater visibility of incoming delegates and allow organizers and government agencies to coordinate more efficiently as arrival schedules develop.

The Organizing Committee also sought the BI’s assistance in the timely processing of e-visas and consular visas for delegates from countries whose nationals require Philippine visas, particularly those who are residing outside their country of nationality.

With thousands of international delegates expected to arrive within the congress period, coordination before the event will be important in managing the volume of arrivals and addressing documentation concerns before delegates reach the Philippines.

A significant portion of the discussion focused on Clark International Airport, which will serve as the primary gateway for delegates attending the World Congress.

The Organizing Committee proposed the establishment of dedicated immigration lanes during peak arrival periods to help manage the expected influx of international delegates. The committee also offered to deploy trained personnel who can assist and guide delegates throughout the arrival process, subject to existing airport, immigration, and security protocols.

Both sides also agreed on the need to designate focal persons for real-time coordination on arrival advisories, visa concerns, and documentation matters.

The discussions further covered coordination on security, customs, and airport access ahead of the five-day international gathering.

The planned measures are intended to establish clear communication channels between the Organizing Committee and government agencies before the arrival of delegates, allowing concerns to be addressed as early as possible.

The 2026 JCI World Congress is expected to bring together more than 6,000 delegates from over 120 countries for several days of leadership development, networking, and cultural exchange.

For the Organizing Committee, coordination with the Bureau of Immigration forms part of the broader preparations required to host an international gathering of this scale in the Philippines.

By working with the BI and other government and airport stakeholders ahead of the event, the committee aims to ensure that international delegates can navigate the arrival process efficiently and begin their World Congress experience with minimal disruption.

The Philippines is ready to welcome the world.