The Divine Word College of Legazpi or DWCL is a Catholic institution of higher learning run by the Society of the Divine Word or SVD in Legazpi City, Albay, Philippines. The forerunner of the Divine Word College of Legazpi is the Liceo de Albay, a Diocesan parochial school for boys owned and managed by Rev. Fr. Juan Carullo, a native of Malinao, Albay, who was a retired Army Chaplain. When he left the military service, his retirement pay and other personal money was invested in a school which he founded. At the beginning, the school was an exclusive high school for boys (St. Agnes was the exclusive high school for girls). In 1952, a very strong typhoon hitting Albay badly damaged the Liceo de Albay. Around this time, the Society of the Divine Word (SVD) was looking for a place to put up a school in the province. Fr. Joseph Bates, SVD, negotiated with the Bishop of Albay for the SVD acquisition of the Liceo de Albay, amidst the school's financial difficulties. In 1959, the formal transfer of ownership and management was effected for around Php30,000.00. Reconstruction of the school began with Fr.