Divine Word University of Tacloban
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Former names
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| Type | Private, Catholic University |
| Established | 1929 |
| Location | Tacloban, Leyte, Philippines |
| Closed | 1995 (reopened in 2007) |
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| Alumni Association | |
| Founded | 2000, Philippines |
| Headquarters | Tacloban City, Philippines |
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Key people
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Board of Directors: Louis Ocana Paul Bolaños Jaime Bermejo Sara Q. Caballes Athena Cloma-Granados Flerida Creencia Wilfredo Garrido Alberto Lamayo Cesar Merin Imelda Nartea Fideliza Noel Natividad Noel-Alejo Leo Rama Tarcelo Sabarre Ma. Luz C. Vilches Samuel J. Yap Board of Trustees: Fideliza G. Noel (Chairperson) Samuel J. Yap Athena C. Granados Leo R. Rama Natividad Noel-Alejo Wilfredo Garrido Flerida V. Creencia Ma. Luz C. Vilches |
The Divine Word University or DWU was a private, Catholic, co-educational institution of higher learning run by the Society of the Divine Word (SVD) in Tacloban City, Leyte, Philippines.
Founded in 1929, it was closed in June 1995 by the school administrators after a court ruling favoring the labor union which represents its faculty members and other employees. In 2007, DWU repoened its doors with a new administration and a new name, Liceo del Verbo Divino.
Two prolonged strikes occurred in 1988 and in 1989. From the start the administrators were unwilling to negotiate with the union. Instead of accepting the union's right to represent the workers on the basis of signed memberships, they demanded a certification election. Union leaders were antagonized with this approach. In addition, the administration's lawyers advised them to attempt to form a parallel union of their own which would be more favorable to the administration, but the court considered this to be "union busting".
In 1990 the Supreme Court of the Philippines ruled in favor of the labor union: "In Divine Word University of Tacloban vs. Secretary of Labor and Employment, petitioner therein, Divine Word University of Tacloban, refused to perform its duty to bargain collectively. Thus, we upheld the unilateral imposition on the university of the CBA proposed by the Divine Word University Employees Union. We said further: 'That being the said case, the petitioner may not validly assert that its consent should be a primordial consideration in the bargaining process. By its acts, no less than its action which bespeak its insincerity, it has forfeited whatever rights it could have asserted as an employer.' "
The university administration still refused to negotiate. Administrative Officer Fr. Margarito Alingasa announced the closure of the university in June 1995. Students, faculty and staff were left with no school and no employment. Many in the community were affected, including boarding houses, tricycle drivers and the Tacloban business community. Supporters of the university administration claim that the "selfishness of union members" led to the closure, and that faculty and staff had been promised "exorbitant amounts" if they joined the union.
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