The Divine Word College of Legazpi (DWCL) sprang into existence from a small school, Liceo de Albay (LDA), a diocesan school of Caceresfor boys. In 1947 the LDA was entrusted to Fr. Juan Carullo, a retiredarmy chaplain. The members of the Board of Trustees were then Msgr. Justiniano Romano, Fr. Euferto Alberto, Fr. Alfonso Molina, Fr. GuilermoRejante, Fr. William Rehente and Fr. RusticoBurce. The school building was located at Corners Rizal St. and Maria Clara St. (now Fr. Joseph L. Bates St.),Legazpi City. The lot was donated by the Calleja family of Legazpi City.In 1952, the LDA was ravaged by Typhoon Trix. Financial incapacity became a major problem for its survival. To save the school from possible closure, series of negotiations to take over the management of the school were done between the then Bishop of Legazpi, Bishop Flaviano B. Ariola, D.D. and the SocietasVerbiDivini (SVD) Congregation. Both agreed andofficially turned over the Liceo de Albay by Bishop Flaviano B. Ariola, D.D. to the Provincial Superior of SVD, Fr. Alfonse Lesage, SVDin 1961.The Society of the Divine Word appointed Fr. Joseph L. Bates, SVD, to officially administer the school withMsgr. Honesto A. Moraleda, a diocesan clergy, as Principal. The new school kept its exclusivity for the education of boys with the help of Msgr. Nestor C. Cariño and the then Frt. Florante Camacho, SVD as Regent.Aware of the need for additional services in secondary basic education, the school went co-educational. The Night High School was also opened for working students. In anticipation of the growing popularity of the school to children in all levels, Fr. Bates bought a five-hectare land at Washington Drive, Legazpi City from Atty. Juan Imperial. A three-storey building was immediately constructed the basic education department in 1977.
The Divine Word College of Legazpi (DWCL) sprang into existence from a small school, Liceo de Albay (LDA), a diocesan school of Caceresfor boys. In 1947 the LDA was entrusted to Fr. Juan Carullo, a retiredarmy chaplain. The members of the Board of Trustees were then Msgr. Justiniano Romano, Fr. Euferto Alberto, Fr. Alfonso Molina, Fr. GuilermoRejante, Fr. William Rehente and Fr. RusticoBurce. The school building was located at Corners Rizal St. and Maria Clara St. (now Fr. Joseph L. Bates St.),Legazpi City. The lot was donated by the Calleja family of Legazpi City.In 1952, the LDA was ravaged by Typhoon Trix. Financial incapacity became a major problem for its survival. To save the school from possible closure, series of negotiations to take over the management of the school were done between the then Bishop of Legazpi, Bishop Flaviano B. Ariola, D.D. and the SocietasVerbiDivini (SVD) Congregation. Both agreed andofficially turned over the Liceo de Albay by Bishop Flaviano B. Ariola, D.D. to the Provincial Superior of SVD, Fr. Alfonse Lesage, SVDin 1961.The Society of the Divine Word appointed Fr. Joseph L. Bates, SVD, to officially administer the school withMsgr. Honesto A. Moraleda, a diocesan clergy, as Principal. The new school kept its exclusivity for the education of boys with the help of Msgr. Nestor C. Cariño and the then Frt. Florante Camacho, SVD as Regent.Aware of the need for additional services in secondary basic education, the school went co-educational. The Night High School was also opened for working students. In anticipation of the growing popularity of the school to children in all levels, Fr. Bates bought a five-hectare land at Washington Drive, Legazpi City from Atty. Juan Imperial. A three-storey building was immediately constructed the basic education department in 1977.
The Divine Word College of Legazpi (DWCL) sprang into existence from a small school, Liceo de Albay (LDA), a diocesan school of Caceresfor boys. In 1947 the LDA was entrusted to Fr. Juan Carullo, a retiredarmy chaplain. The members of the Board of Trustees were then Msgr. Justiniano Romano, Fr. Euferto Alberto, Fr. Alfonso Molina, Fr. GuilermoRejante, Fr. William Rehente and Fr. RusticoBurce. The school building was located at Corners Rizal St. and Maria Clara St. (now Fr. Joseph L. Bates St.),Legazpi City. The lot was donated by the Calleja family of Legazpi City.In 1952, the LDA was ravaged by Typhoon Trix. Financial incapacity became a major problem for its survival. To save the school from possible closure, series of negotiations to take over the management of the school were done between the then Bishop of Legazpi, Bishop Flaviano B. Ariola, D.D. and the SocietasVerbiDivini (SVD) Congregation. Both agreed andofficially turned over the Liceo de Albay by Bishop Flaviano B. Ariola, D.D. to the Provincial Superior of SVD, Fr. Alfonse Lesage, SVDin 1961.The Society of the Divine Word appointed Fr. Joseph L. Bates, SVD, to officially administer the school withMsgr. Honesto A. Moraleda, a diocesan clergy, as Principal. The new school kept its exclusivity for the education of boys with the help of Msgr. Nestor C. Cariño and the then Frt. Florante Camacho, SVD as Regent.Aware of the need for additional services in secondary basic education, the school went co-educational. The Night High School was also opened for working students. In anticipation of the growing popularity of the school to children in all levels, Fr. Bates bought a five-hectare land at Washington Drive, Legazpi City from Atty. Juan Imperial. A three-storey building was immediately constructed the basic education department in 1977.