away we go The lovebirds celebrate 25 years together—and
look forward to more (aircraft: Asian Aerospace Air Taxi; car: Ferrari
Portofino)hen it comes to romance,
some are of the mind that
opposites attract, while others
may beg to differ. Though there
have been a multitude of studies
conducted by psychologists that are
sufficient enough to support or
negate the theory, results vary on
a case-to-case basis depending on the circumstances
surrounding the couple. This rings true for Dennis and
Tessa Valdes—he of the smart suits and well-organised
timetables; she of the elaborate wardrobe and hairstyles,
and larger-than-life effervescence—who, when they met
in 1993, had next to nothing in common save for a deep
affection for the sea.
Dennis, then based in Hong Kong, was invited by
his former scuba pupil Gigi Santos to join a group dive
while he was on holiday in the Philippines. Tessa just
so happened to be part of the bunch (an all-girl group,
of which Dennis was the lone gentleman). His first
impression? “Oh, she was the noisiest one there.” Her
first impression? “Not my type.” Scuba trips came and
went, and she always seemed to be along for the dive
when he was. It was not until October of the same year
that Dennis decided to take a gamble, inviting Tessa to
see an opera with him in Hong Kong. Shortly after—
December, to be exact—they got engaged. It was a
whirlwind courtship, but, according to Tessa, they were
already at a point where they knew what they wanted,
adding, “I was a single mum and a party girl; I needed
someone who was grounded and stable—and Dennis
had that in spades.”
Aside from serving as the president of PhilWeb
Corporation, Dennis—aka HK Pirate on social media—
enjoys photography and leads an active lifestyle, with
underwater hockey being one of his biggest passions.
This year, he is on duty as the competition manager for
the 2019 Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games), where our
team will be participating in for the first time. Dennis,
once a competitive athlete in the sport, last represented
the Philippines in the 2016 CMAS World Underwater
Hockey Championships in South Africa. “One time, I was
overseeing the coaching staff put the players through
the monthly fitness test, and I asked if I could try,” he
shares. “They were coming in at around 12 and a half to