URDANETA CITY, June 12 -- The first Tour de Pangasinan cycling competition kicked off on Friday, the country's 128th Independence Day.

A total of 126 Pangasinense cyclists aged 16 years and above, clustered by district with seven members each, joined the cycling competition that traverses 13 out of the 48 localities of the province.

The route started from Umingan and passes through the towns of Balungao, Rosales, Villasis, Malasiqui, Bayambang, Basista, Urbiztondo, Mangataem, Aguilar, Bugallon, Labrador and ended in Lingayen, for a total of 143 kilometers.

"We organized the event as part of tourism, human development, and one of the parts of holistic approach to reduce criminality and illegal drugs use among the youth. And also, it i...