MANILA - The House Committee on Population and Family Relations on Thursday approved a bill seeking civil recognition of church annulment to make it accessible and not expensive for many Filipinos. TINGOG Party-list Representatives Jude Acidre and Yedda Marie Romualdez authored House Bill 1593 or the Church Nullity Act of 2022 that they filed on July 7 last year. "On behalf of Tingog Party-list, I'd like to thank the committee for its favorable action on House Bill 1593. This is a significant development that provides hope for an efficient and more affordable procedure to remedy the situation of couples trapped in an irreparable relationship," Acidre said. The bill has been endorsed to a technical working group (TWG) tasked to consolidate all eight related measures and craft a substitute bill. Acidre said if the bill becomes law, a declaration of nullity (of marriage) decreed by the Church will hold as much weight and have the same effect as a civil annulment. He added th