Ligaya Salonga On Discovering New Passions with Microsoft Windows 7

Meet Ligaya Salonga: Busy Woman and Proud Mom, Grandmother

If the name given to you at birth were any indication of how your life was going to be then Ligaya Salonga is quite happy with hers.

“I couldn’t be any prouder of my children,” said the woman behind world-class singer and multi-award winning actress Lea Salonga and conductor, musical arranger, orchestrator, and musical director Gerard Salonga.

Time has certainly not diminished this lady’s sharp wit as she continues to manage her daughter’s thriving career, but these days Mommy Ligaya has also moved on to new activities such as being a doting grandmother to Nicole. “I spend a lot of time with my grandchildren especially when Lea has commitments overseas. We take photos of all our activities together, and even when Nicole or Antonio are overseas, I always receive pictures of them,” she said.


Reconnecting and Rediscovering
Using a laptop is another activity that Mommy Ligaya has discovered. “It’s a good thing that I’ve started learning how to use a computer because that’s where I store all my photos of Nicole. Windows 7 has a feature called Windows Live Gallery where I can organize all our pictures and create albums,” she added.

“One of the great things about technology is its capability to help people discover new passions and interests,” said Mae Moreno, Windows Client Product Manager, Microsoft Philippines. “As Mommy Ligaya proves, the benefits of technology do not only span across all generations, it also helps connect generations,” she said.

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Some of the newer features of Windows 7 tap into more natural means of interacting with the computer. There are commands such as Shake that instantly cuts through the clutter on one’s screen down to one window, Snap that resizes windows according to your preference by simply clicking and dragging its edges, and Peek which reveals your hidden icons and gadgets just by pointing to the right edge of your task bar.

“Using a PC has been really easy and simple,” said Salonga about Windows 7, “So I told myself, no more excuses. My children introduced me to computers and I’m happy to discover a new way of connecting with my loved ones and at the same time, help provide new opportunities for a talented student,” she added.


Giving Back
Salonga may now be pursuing new interests, but she has not forgotten to give back to the community.

When typhoon Ondoy hit the country and devastated the homes and lives of hundreds of thousands of people, she wanted to help in any way possible.

One victim, Marikina Science High School student Bia Motante, lost her laptop and all her school files in the calamity. Salonga wanted not only to help her laundrywoman’s daughter but also to give her a competitive advantage by supplying her with the latest technology.

“Technology has changed people’s lives and this includes how we keep in touch with our loved ones and how we learn in school. With a Windows 7 laptop, Bia could save her allowance instead of going to Internet cafes to conduct research for assignments and school projects,” said Salonga.

As one of the Windows 7 Icons, Salonga took part in the Pay It Forward campaign which identified seven people and organizations who will benefit greatly from experiencing the transformative power of technology a Windows 7-powered laptop.

She added that she was initially surprised to be picked as a Windows 7 icon but the Microsoft campaign reminded her of the important role that parents play in their children’s lives. She hopes that other parents will realize this as well. “When people started telling me that I did a great job shaping my children’s lives, it motivated me to move on to bigger things like the Pay It Forward Campaign.”

“Heart-warming stories like this remind me why we work so hard here in Microsoft to ensure that people have access to life-changing technology. Seeing people apply technology in their lives, to improve their work productivity or keep in touch with their loved ones, motivate us to provide better and smarter products to serve our users,” concluded Moreno.