History
February 1945, Rev. Fr. Alphonse M. Mildner, SVD, upon the advice of the Father Provincial, Rev, Fr. Herman Kondring, SVD proceeded to Laoag, Ilocos Norte to see the possibility of establishing a Catholic School. This was in response to the persistent invitation of Rev. Msgr. Ignacio Cordero the parish priest of St. William's Parish at that time. Within the few months’ stay of Fr. Alphonse Mildner, SVD, he observed the urgent need to separate and accommodate the growing number of high school male students of the then Holy Ghost Academy. Likewise, he felt the pressing necessity to accommodate graduating students who were unable to pursue college studies in Manila due to financial reasons. In view of these observations, Fr. Alphonse Mildner, SVD, immediately recommended to his superiors the establishment of a school not just a boys' high school as formerly contemplated, but also a college.
The school formally opened in July 1946. It was originally named St. William's College after the Patron of the Parish of Laoag and was changed to Divine Word College of Laoag in October 1964. This was done to identify the school as a SVD (“Society of the Divine Word) school. The SVD Fathers were naming or renaming all their schools Divine Word. This helped achieve uniformity in identity of all SVD run schools. So when the SVD priests opened schools in Vigan and Bangued, they were named the Divine Word College of Vigan and Divine Word College of Bangued. Aside from uniformity of identity, the name Divine Word was by that time perceived as a school of quality. The SVD Fathers wanted to take advantage of this image to attract more enrollees.
Three months after, the first issue of the school’s official organ, the “Guide” now the “Williamite” was published.
The SVD day of 1948 was highlighted with the grand inauguration and blessing of the imposing three storey Building with an auditorium known as Mildner Hall. The college hymn “Pride of the North” composed by Jose L. Pedro was sung for the first time during the SVD day celebration. The same year, the school seal was adopted incorporating the motto “Deo et Patrie”. Logo was created by architect George Manligas Sr.
Cognizant of the increasing student population during the50's and 60's, the SVD decided to construct the new building on a sprawling eight hectare of land. This edifice was named K building in honor of Fr. Ernest Keilen, SVD.
It was in October 1964 that the school established a guidance office. The school continuously expanded its physical facilities with the construction of the Arnoldous Building, the K building Annex, a new college canteen, and conversion of the old Mildner Building into a ladies dormitory which was later turned over the Diocese of Laoag.
The Ilocos Region, designated as Region I, is an administrative region of the Philippines. Located in the northwestern section of Luzon, it is bordered by the Cordillera Administrative Region to the east, the Cagayan Valley to the northeast and southeast, Central Luzon to the south, and the South China Sea to the west.
Laoag, officially the City of Laoag, is a 3rd class component city and capital of the province of Ilocos Norte, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 111,651 people.
Urdaneta, officially the City of Urdaneta, is a 2nd class component city in the province of Pangasinan, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 144,577 people.
The Society of the Divine Word, abbreviated SVD and popularly called the Verbites or the Divine Word Missionaries, and sometimes the Steyler Missionaries, is a Catholic clerical religious congregation of Pontifical Right for men. As of 2020, it consisted of 5,965 members composed of priests and religious brothers working in more than 70 countries, now part of VIVAT international. It is one of the largest missionary congregations in the Catholic Church. Its members add the nominal letters SVD after their names to indicate membership in the Congregation. The superior general is Paulus Budi Kleden who hails from Indonesia.
The Divine Word College of Bangued is a private, Catholic higher education institution run by the Philippine Northern Province of the Society of the Divine Word in Bangued, Abra, Philippines. It was founded by a Divine Word Missionary priest in 1920 and given the name Colegio del Sagrado Corazon. In 1964 it was renamed the Divine Word College of Bangued. The college is the most famous in the province.
The Divine Word College of Calapan, also referred to by its acronym DWCC, is a private Catholic basic and higher education institution in Calapan, Oriental Mindoro, Philippines. It is run by the Philippine Central Province of the Society of the Divine Word. It was established by the Divine Word Missionaries in April 1946 and was then called Mindoro Junior College until January 1981. The academic programs offered on its first year of operation were normal education, liberal arts, pre-law, including short term courses in typing and stenography.
The Divine Word College of Vigan, also referred to by its acronym DWCV, is a private, Catholic, co-educational institution of higher learning run by the Philippine Northern Province of the Society of the Divine Word in Vigan, Ilocos Sur, Philippines. It was founded in 1822 by the society as the Colegio de la Inmaculada Concepción. The current president is Rev. Fr. Edsel R. Demillo, SVD, PhD.
The Divine Word College of San Jose is a private, Catholic, coeducational basic and higher education institution run by the Philippine Central Province of the Society of the Divine Word or SVD in San Jose, Occidental Mindoro, Philippines. It holds the distinction of being the first and oldest educational institution in Mindoro island, even predating the island-province's separation in 1950 into two provinces by five years.
The Divine Word College of Legazpi (DWCL) is a private Catholic coeducational basic and higher education institution run by the Philippine Central Province of the Society of the Divine Word in Legazpi, Albay, Philippines. It was founded by Rev. Fr. Juan Carullo, a retired Army Chaplain in 1947.
The Divine Word Academy of Dagupan (DWAD) is a private, Catholic, basic education institution run by the Philippine Northern Province of the Society of the Divine Word in Dagupan, Philippines. It was founded by the Divine Word Missionaries in 1957. It is one of the few schools in the Philippines that offer an education in Chinese culture in addition to the regular curricula required by the Department of Education (Philippines) and by private schools, in combination with the ideals of a Catholic education.
The Liceo del Verbo Divino, also referred to by its acronym LVD, is a private, Catholic, co-educational basic education institution run by the Philippine Southern Province of the Society of the Divine Word in Tacloban City, Philippines. It was founded by the Divine Word Missionaries in 1929.
The Archdiocese of Nueva Segovia is an archdiocese of the Catholic Church in the Philippines. It covers the province of Ilocos Sur, on the island of Luzon. The see of the archdiocese is the city of Vigan.
Partas Transportation Co., Inc. is a bus transportation company in the Philippines. It operates a 24/7 service for passengers and freight between Metro Manila and northern Luzon, with services also running to the Cordilleras in Baguio, Bangued in Abra, and also to the south Occidental Mindoro. Partas also offers chartered service for tour groups.
Taxicabs of the Philippines are one of the modes of transportation in the country. They are regulated by the Department of Transportation (DOTr), the Land Transportation Office (LTO), and the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB). The taxicabs there vary from models and uses. Most taxicabs have yellow colored license plates, taxi signs, LTFRB Registration number, and taximeter, which is mandatory in every cab.
The Diocese of Laoag is a Latin Church ecclesiastical jurisdiction or diocese of the Catholic Church in the Philippines.
Viron Transportation Company or Viron Transit is a bus company servicing the Ilocos Region, Philippines. The bus company is owned by millionaire Santiago Rondaris' daughter. It formerly operated as far as the second district of Ilocos Sur but has started to operate as far as Laoag City after the collapse of its related bus company Times Transit.
Leopoldo C. Jaucian is a Roman Catholic Bishop of the Philippines and the current Bishop of Bangued in Abra (Philippines).
