Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco, Mexico - Every year on May 31st, as part of the city's anniversary celebrations, the Premio Vallarta awards are given to those citizens who have acted for the benefit of the community in one way or another.

At a recent plenary session of the city council, the list of 2019 Premio Vallarta winners was approved, and the awards will be delivered on Friday, May 31, during the solemn session on the occasion of the 101st anniversary of Puerto Vallarta as a municipality and its 51 years as a city.

The Premio Vallarta is the highest award granted by the municipality to the inhabitants of this port. Awarded to Vallartenses by birth or adoption who have resided in the city for at least five years, the prize recognizes eminent merit or distinguished and exemplary behavior relevant to deeds or services performed for the town and its inhabitants, as well as heroic acts. This year's recipients include:

This year's "Ignacio Luis Vallarta Ogazón" prize, which is awarded in recognition of exemplary conduct or trajectory for the benefit of the municipality or its inhabitants, will be given to the Amapas Neighborhood Association for its constant support and contributions to the city.

The former rector general of the University of Guadalajara (UdeG) and former rector of the Centro Universitario de la Costa, Marco Antonio Cortés Guardado, will be awarded the "Teresa Barba Palomera" prize, for his great cultural contribution to the municipality.

Renowned Puerto Vallarta painter, Javier Niño Rodríguez, will be awarded the 2019 "Manuel Lepe Macedo" medal, awarded to those who have excelled in the field of the arts.

Finally, the "Francisca Rodríguez Rodríguez" award, which is granted to distinguished members of the teaching profession, the leaders and/or benefactors of public education, will be delivered to Centro Universitario de la Costa Professor, Claudio Rafael Vázquez Martínez, who was also proposed for the "Manuel Lepe Macedo" award.

The 2019 "Jesus Palacios Robles", "Francisco Medina Ascencio", "Guadalupe Sánchez Torres", "Alfonso Díaz Santos" and "Agustín Flores Contreras" Premio Vallarta awards were declared deserted, as no potential candidates were submitted for consideration.

The Premio Vallarta has been awarded to the public annually since 1998. The areas that are recognized are: culture, sports, education, politics, lawyers and prominent cultivators of social sciences, economic development and institutional loyalty.

Awards, recognition and incentives are granted to individuals or legal entities for outstanding activities and performance of their assigned duties and any exceptional act that benefits the municipality or its inhabitants.