They have also agreed to elevate the level of the Southeast Asian (SEA) Games.
Last Monday (May 4), member countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) have jointly affirmed the Bali Declaration on Youth and Sports during their meeting in Indonesia.
The document recognizes the strategic role of youth and sports in promoting peace, unity, and sustainable development.
It calls for stronger cooperation in athlete development, sports governance, and hosting major international events.
As part of steps to professionalize the sporting landscape in the region, with plans to elevate the Southeast Asian Games to global standards unveiled.
Because, despite producing world-class champions such as Carlos Yulo (Philippines, gymnastics), Joseph Schooling (Singapore, swimming), Hoang Xuan Vinh (Vietnam, shooting), Veddriq Leonardo (Indonesia, sport climbing), and Panipak Wongpattanakit (Thailand, taekwondo), many top athletes skip the SEA Games due to limited and inconsistent sport selection.
This has led to lower competition quality, declining audience interest, and diminished overall value.
Indonesia Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports Erick Thohir, who is an International Olympic Committee member and bost of the first Southeast Asia Ministerial Meeting on Youth and Sports, pointed out the value that a higher quality SEA Games could deliver.
He noted that a more consistent, higher-quality SEA Games can attract greater investment, generate sponsorship value, create employment opportunities, and strengthen sports tourism with cross-border visitors, longer stays, and sustained destination demand.
Meanwhile, the initiative also includes the creation of new flagship competitions such as the Southeast Asia Marathon Series (SEAMS) and the Southeast Asia Pro Cycling Tour (SEA PCT), designed to push the region’s youth and athletes toward world-class performance.
The SEAMS aims to raise the bar and match the prestige of the Boston, New York, and London marathons.
Meanwhile, the SEA PCT seeks to attract elite cyclists worldwide and provide a pathway for Southeast Asian riders to one day compete in cycling’s grand tours, including the Tour de France.
These events are said to be envisioned as mechanisms for quality control and preparation for higher-level international competition, ensuring Southeast Asian athletes are not left behind.
At the said meeting, the Philippines was represented by Philippine Sports Commission Chairman Patrick Gregorio and National Youth Commission (NYC) Chairperson and CEO Jeff Ortega.
“The Philippines affirms the Bali Declaration and is ready to work with our Southeast Asian partners to elevate the region’s global positioning—leveraging sports tourism as a driver of economic growth, cultural exchange, and sports diplomacy for goodwill and peace,” said Gregorio.
He also emphasized that sports must be seen as an investment, not an expense. “Further, we affirm that investing in our youth—in their creativity, agency, and potential—remains our most strategic priority. Through sports, we empower young people with discipline, opportunity, and a sense of purpose—ensuring that as Southeast Asia rises on the world stage, our next generation rises with it.”
The PSC chief also said that if the scale and quality of regional competitions remain limited, the development of athletes and the growth of our industry also remain limited.
Thus, SEA Games must evolve into a strong regional intellectual property, he emphasized.
“Let us build new dreams together as one region, and host the world as one community,’’ said Gregorio. “When the day comes that Southeast Asia welcomes the Olympic Games—as one people—it will be one of the greatest stories ever told. Let that story be written by, and belong to, all of us.”
In 202, the global sports industry generated US$521 billion in sales, while sports tourism reached US$625 billion—which is 10 percent of the global tourism market.
With an annual growth outlook of eight percent, Southeast Asia’s 650-million population is seen as an “enormous untapped market.”