Highlights of DWU History
- 1929 - DWU started out as the Tacloban Catholic Institute (TCI), founded by Bishop Sofronio Hacbang of then Diocese of Leyte and Samar, Justice Norberto Romualdez, Sr., Gov. Bernardo Torres and Cong. Juan Perez of Leyte, and Educator Martin de Veyra. It was initially an elementary school with 78 students. Rt. Rev. Msgr. Vicente Figueroa was the first Director.
- 1934 - The High School Department was opened.
- 1935 - St. Therese of the Child Jesus was declared Patroness of TCI, and a chapel was dedicated in her honor.
- 1940 - Bishop Manuel Mascarinas of the Palo Diocese turned over the administration of TCI to the Society of the Divine Word (SVD). Fr. Eugene Stoll, SVD, was the first SVD Director.
- 1942 - The College Department was established under Fr. Luis Paulsen, SVD, with the opening of the Secretarial Course.
- 1944 - TCI temporarily ceased operations when the Japanese Army occupied the schoolbuildings.
- 1946 - The School reopened as St. Paul’s College of Tacloban (SPCT) with Fr. Alberto van Gansewinkel as the first Director.
- 1958 - The SVD acquired SPCT from the Diocese of Palo under Archbisop Leo Gonzaga.
- 1965 - Founding of St. Paul’s Hospital, a 100-bed general hospital, as the teaching hospital of SPCT, under the administration of the Benedictine Sisters (OSB). SPCT now became the Divine Word College of Tacloban (DWCT) with Fr. Ernest Hoerdemann, SVD, as the first President of the College.
- 1966 - DWCT achieved university status, and became DIVINE WORD UNIVERSITY OF TACLOBAN (DWU), with Fr. Ernest Hoerdemann, SVD, as the first University President.
- 1995 - DWU closed down due to labor problems. It will remain closed and will not reopen until all labor cases are resolved with finality to avoid uncertainties in cost and operations.
- 2006 - A signing ceremony was held on February 21, 2006 to finally reopen the Divine Word University of Tacloban (DWU) in June 2006 under a new school name "Liceo del Verbo Divino" but still under the SVD management. The ceremony was held at the Sto. Niño Church after the Holy Mass held in celebration of the birthday of Most Reverend Palo Archbishop Pedro Dean. This came ten years after the DWU shut down in 1995 because of the dispute between the employees union and the SVD management.
- June 2006 - Liceo del Verbo Divino opened its doors to Grade 1 pupils and First Year High School students.
DWU was the biggest and best Catholic institution of higher learning in Leyte and Samar (Region VIII). At its peak, it had around 14,000 students, and a faculty complement of about 400 of the best teachers in Region VIII. It offered courses in around twenty different fields including Law and Medicine, and pioneered in indigenous research in the Region. It produced Board topnotchers year after year, and was considered a very good cost-effective alternative to expensive private schools in Cebu and Manila for the students of Leyte and Samar.
DWU has produced around 60,000 graduates, and was a major player in the educational, religious and economic picture of Region VIII. Its closure caused severe dislocation in these areas.