Angeles City Mayor Carmelo “Pogi Lazatin Jr. on October 6, 2022 gave recognition to Peter De Vera for being one of the recipients of the 1st Gawad Hiyas Award, which is given by the Cultural Center of the Philippines Kaisa sa Sining Luzon Network for an outstanding artist and cultural worker.

Mayor Lazatin, together with Executive Assistant IV Reina Manuel, handed over a certificate of commendation and cash incentive to De Vera.

The Sangguniang Panlungsod, led by Vice Mayor Vicky Vega-Cabigting, also awarded De Vera a resolution of commendation, Resolution No. 10216, for bringing pride to Angeles City for his accomplishments.

The Gawad Hiyas Award is a triennial award for outstanding and exemplary artists, cultural workers and creative organizations in Luzon.

The Kaisa sa Sining Regional Arts Center is a partnership program of the CCP through its Cultural Exchange Department (CED) that was launched in 2014 and is aimed at strengthening further the CCP’s linkages and cooperation with regional educational institutions, non-government organizations and local government units in order to broaden public participation in the arts, promote and showcase artistic excellence and facilitate a vibrant collaboration between and among communities.

To recall, the Angeles City Government partnered with De Vera for the music-and-dance training of children in conflict with the law (CICL) housed at Bahay Pagasa.

The city government, according to Mayor Lazatin, shares a common goal with De Vera which is to transform the youth through the arts.