The school 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 with the SVD – “Society of the Divine Word” or in Latin, “Societas Verbi Divini”. The school 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 with the SVD – “Society of the Divine Word” or in Latin, “Societas Verbi Divini”. This helped achieve a common identity with the other Divine Word Schools, like the Divine Word College of Vigan and Bangued.