Erwin Bolivar Turns Engagement Into a Pathway to Leadership

For Director for Membership Development and Engagement Erwin Bolivar, membership development was never limited to bringing new people into JCI Manila. From the beginning of his term, his goal was to create opportunities that would make members want to participate, connect with one another, and eventually take on bigger roles within the chapter.

His initial vision was to build what he described as the chapter’s best sports program, anchored on JCI Manila Cares, Mobile Legends, basketball, pickleball, and the JCI Manila Golf League. But as the year progressed, that vision expanded beyond the games themselves.

Sports became a vehicle for engagement.

Dir. Boli sought to create spaces where JCI Manila members could form connections through interest groups, family days, district-level activities, and friendly competition. What began as a focus on sports and events evolved into a broader understanding of how these activities could strengthen relationships within the organization.

“As the year unfolded, that vision stayed the same at its core, but it grew into something bigger,” Dir. Boli said. “I realized sports and events weren’t just about fun, they were tools for genuine engagement and connection among our members.”

Behind the activities, however, was the challenge of managing several responsibilities at once.

Balancing JCI commitments with work and family became one of the most demanding aspects of his term. With multiple sports programs and events running simultaneously, Bolivar had to manage schedules, coordinate committees, and ensure that each project moved forward.

The responsibility required more than simply having a clear direction. It required careful planning and coordination across different teams.

“It taught me that leadership isn’t just about vision; it’s about discipline, delegation, and trusting your team,” he said.

Dir. Boli also credited his wife for helping make the demanding year possible.

He expressed his appreciation for her support and understanding, particularly for taking care of family matters while he fulfilled his responsibilities in JCI Manila.

Among the projects he considers most significant during his term is Engagement of Champions, an initiative designed to bring newly inducted members together and establish close-knit groups within the chapter.

The project focused on giving new members a sense of belonging from the beginning of their JCI Manila journey. For Bolivar, its value went beyond participation in an activity. He saw the groups formed through the initiative develop into communities that could potentially contribute to the chapter’s future leadership.

“Many of those groups are now shaping up to be the future leaders of JCI Manila,” he said.

He considers this one of the most meaningful outcomes of his term because he was able to see new members progress from newcomers into a community of their own.

He also gave a special shout-out to Batch Putotoys, 21 Guns, and 17 Again, groups that became part of that membership engagement journey.

For Dir. Boli, the development of these relationships represents the kind of legacy he hoped to leave through the Membership Development and Engagement portfolio.

His term was also shaped by the people who worked alongside him. He credited his Lead Beyond Board as instrumental to his growth, saying they helped him understand the work behind JCI and the impact that members can create for the chapter when working together.

As his term comes to a close, Dir. Boli leaves the next Membership Development and Engagement Director with a message centered on one priority: keeping members engaged.

“Membership engagement is the key to JCI Manila’s success,” he said.

For him, that means creating an environment where members feel comfortable, connected, and motivated to participate. When members feel at home in the chapter, he believes they are more likely to initiate projects, take on responsibilities, and eventually build legacies of their own.

The responsibility of membership development, therefore, does not end with recruitment.

It continues with creating an experience that gives members reasons to stay, opportunities to grow, and the confidence to lead.

That, for Bolivar, is the real work of membership engagement: not just recruiting members, but making them want to stay and lead.