Troy Peden

Troy Peden has many college degrees from many schools including Jacksonville University, Illinois State University and the University of Colorado. One degree in particular, a Masters Degree with an international affairs focus specifically in Latin America and Asian Studies brought Troy to the Philippines. And thus began a life long connection to this amazing, resilient and culturally inspiring country. “The Philippines enjoys an asian cultural sensibility through its dedication to family, tradition and community and a distinctly Latino flair from the Spanish which is demonstrated in the cultural love of music, dance, and fiesta. It is impossible to not fall in love with the Philippines.”

Troy has worked, volunteered and studied around the globe in over a hundred countries but has been working here in Tacloban with GapLabs since its inception seventeen years ago. Troy’s oldest son is a Peace Corp volunteer in western Mongolia and his other seven children are students and future world explorers. They have attended school in Tacloban and abroad. Currently Troy splits his time between Colorado, Tacloban and other corners of the globe.

Following Typhoon Yolanda there was pressure to move the company from Leyte, however GapLabs was conceived by people from Tacloban who want to live close to their families in Tacloban. GapLabs is dedicated to those people who love Leyte and want to raise their families and live here! Thankfully for GapLabs it is difficult not to love the region!