Our Rich History

Divine World College of Bangued traces its roots to the founding of Colegio del Sagrado Corazon (CSC) by Fr. Theodore Buttenbruch, SVD, establishing a legacy of Catholic education in Bangued, Abra that spans over a century.

1920 – Divine Word College of Bangued traces its roots to the founding of Colegio del Sagrado Corazon (CSC) by Fr. Theodore Buttenbruch, SVD, in response to the need for a Catholic school in Bangued, Abra. The school initially accepted both boys and girls and operated in a rented house.

1923 – The school was entrusted to the Sister Servants of the Holy Spirit (SSpS), who established their community in Bangued. The old convent (now Holy Spirit Academy) served as classrooms.

1929–1933 – Due to increasing enrollment, CSC was divided into separate boys' and girls' departments. The boys' department opened in 1929 under Fr. Lawrence Leisring, SVD, and graduated its first class in 1933. The girls' department graduated its first class in 1929.

1941–1946 – During World War II, school operations were disrupted. The campus was damaged during the 1945 bombing of Bangued. CSC reopened in 1946 using temporary quonset huts provided by the U.S. Army.

1948–1950 – The college department was established in 1948, offering programs such as Elementary Teacher's Certificate, Bachelor of Secondary Education, and AB. The first college commencement exercises were held in 1950.

1960–1964 – Academic expansion continued with the opening of Bachelor of Science in Commerce (1960). In 1964, the institution was officially renamed Divine Word College of Bangued (DWCB) to better reflect its mission and SVD identity.

1967 – Fr. Panfilo Guianan, SVD became the first Filipino Director. All departments—Grade School, High School, and College—were unified on one campus under the school motto Scientia et Virtus.

1973–1985 – Under Fr. Ambrose Ponce, SVD, DWCB experienced major infrastructure growth, including the construction of Arnoldus Hall, Janssen Hall, and other academic facilities. Accreditation of major college programs was initiated.

1985–1999 – Successive administrations strengthened facilities, faculty benefits, and academic offerings. The school returned to a coeducational setup for Grade School and High School and reopened the Graduate School.

2001–2005 – New programs such as BS Nursing, BS Information Technology, BS Biology, and BS Industrial Education were introduced. Computer education was integrated across all programs, and the DWCB Research Center was established.

2008–2011 – Additional facilities were constructed, including speech laboratories, guidance offices, and academic buildings. Community and faith-based initiatives such as "Pagna ti Kapia" (Walk for Peace) were introduced.

2011–Present – Under Fr. Brigido G. Angngasing, SVD, the school revised its Vision and Mission, expanded facilities for Hotel and Restaurant Management, and continued campus improvements while remaining faithful to its founding Catholic mission.

Today, Divine Word College of Bangued stands as one of the leading educational institutions in the Cordillera Administrative Region, with thousands of alumni making significant contributions to society as educators, business leaders, healthcare professionals, engineers, and community servants.