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Michigan - One of the pioneer Boholana nurses has laid down her cap from service in the US.

Nursing course was yet unknown to Leonora A?asco and other young high school graduates of Inabanga after World War II. She was among the negligible few who were attracted and enticed to the rare opportunity.

To recall further, after World War II there was a dearth of public school teachers. Many took up teaching course after high school graduation.

A couple of years later U.S. Congress passed a law allowing foreign medical graduates and health care professionals, doctors, nurses and technicians to work in U.S.A.

Anasco was one of the pioneers of Inabanga to take up nursing after high school graduation. She was enrolled at Southern Island Hospital School of Nursing in Cebu City now Vicente Sotto Memorial Hospital. After graduation she took the nursing exams and passed.

She was immediately hired as a public health nurse of her own home town and one of the first Inabangnon to hold the job. She held the position for 10 years including a year when she was sent to the University of the Philippines in Manila by the Dept. of Health in 1968 to take up a professional refresher course. While in Manila she applied for an immigrant visa to work in U.S. When she returned home she resumed her position in Inabanga for 2 years after she received the approval of her application to work in U.S. She left in 1971. Her departure was considered one of the pioneers who blazed the trail for the younger generation to follow suit.

Her port of entry was Chicago, stayed for a while in Chicago with the family of Frank Ordiz' before proceeding to Detroit to join with Rarie Lao. As an immigrant she was able to work immediately. She worked at Highland Park General Hospital for 6 years then moved to Detroit Southwestern Hospital for 5 years.

- The Bohol Chronicle


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