The journalist and TV presenter talks productivity, success, and the most important thing in her life
I Am Generation T is a series of quick-fire Q&As with some of the extraordinary individuals on the Generation T List.
Ingrid Chua is perhaps best known for her influential fashion and travel blog, The Bag Hag Diaries. But there’s a lot more to Chua than handbags.
Besides running her website, the filipina journalist writes for publications such as Philippine Daily Inquirer and is a TV presenter and producer, recently wrapping up production on a food show for Fox Networks Group. She’s a freelance brand and fashion consultant, and also owns Accessory Lab, a boutique that sells semi-precious accessories from mostly Asian artists.
A strong believer in the value of hard work and respect, Chua thinks success is best achieved with a lot of effort, a dash of luck and—this may come as a surprise from a social media influencer—a little less phone time.
Who’s your hero?
My father. He was 15 years old when he came to the Philippines from China. At that age, he had to learn the English alphabet and the language from scratch. He adapted seamlessly and went on to go to the University of the Philippines, graduating with magna cum laude honors in his chosen major, chemical engineering. He was a hardworking man who wanted us to experience a good, comfortable life. And with his own success, he has never failed to give his time to socio-civic causes. He was very humble—he donated libraries, classrooms, and even school buildings, strongly believing in education for all. We did not even find out about his numerous donations until after his death!
