More than 300 day-care center children from all over the Central Visayas recently competed in the singing, folk dancing and draw and tell regional contest initiated by the Department of Welfare and Development (DSWD) at the SM City Cebu Entertainment Plaza.

The city of Dumaguete won first prize for the folk dance category, followed by Cebu City at second place and Danao City at third place.

For the singing category, Talisay City got the first place followed by Tubigon town in Bohol at second and Lapu-Lapu City at third.

For the draw-and-tell category, the municipality of Jagna in Bohol grabbed the first spot, while Dumaguete City landed at second and Danao City finished third.

The winners in the singing and draw and tell categories received P2,500 cash for the first prize, P1,750 for the second prize and P1,500 for the third prize.

In the folk dance category, the winners took home P4,500 for the first prize, followed by P3,500 for the second prize and 2,500 for the third prize.

The rest of the contestants received P500 each as consolation prizes.

The celebration had the theme ?Bright Child: Sa Tamang Pag Aaruga Kinabukasan ay Maginhawa,? which was aimed to raise public awareness on the importance of early childhood care and development.

On the same occasion, the Regional Council for the Welfare of Children, an attached agency of the DSWD, awarded the local search winner for Bright Child Junior Ambassador 2008.

DSWD assistant regional director Ma. Evelyn Macapobre personally handed the award to Oliver Bulfa, a 10-year-old boy from Dumaguete City.