SEC. 20. Qualifications of Executive Director. – The Executive Director shall be at least a holder of a Masters Degree in Business Management or Public Administration or its equivalent and with at least 3 years of relevant experience. SEC. 21. Appointments and Term of Office. – The Executive Director shall be appointed by the Regional Governor with a fixed term of four (4) years. TITLE XVI CULTURE, ANCESTRAL RIGHTS AND HERITAGE Chapter 1 Regional Commission on Indigenous People (RCIP) – ARMM SECTION 1. Declaration of Policy – The Autonomous Regional Government recognizes the United Nations Declaration of the Rights of the Indigenous Peoples and adopts the Indigenous Peoples Rights Act of the Philippines. In addition, the Autonomous Regional Government shall: (1) Protect the Rights of Indigenous Cultural Communities/Indigenous People (CCs/IPs) to their ancestral domains to ensure their economic, social and cultural well being and shall recognize the applicability of customary laws governing their property rights or relations in determining the ownership and extent of ancestral domains; (2) Recognize, respect and protect the rights of ICCs/IPs to preserve and develop their cultures, traditions and institutions. It shall consider these rights in the formulation of regional laws and policies; (3) Guarantee that members of the ICCs/IPs shall enjoy the full protection of the law respecting their human rights without distinction or discrimination; and (4) Recognize its obligation to respond to the strong expression of the ICCs/IPs for cultural integrity by assuring maximum ICC/IP participation in the direction of education, health, as well as other services of ICCs/IPs, in order to render such services more responsive to the needs and desires of these communities. SEC. 2. Mandate. - The RCIP-ARMM is mandated to implement pertinent provisions of RA 8371, otherwise known as the Indigenous Peoples Rights Act, in the Autonomous Region consistent with the Organic Act of the Autonomous Region, regional laws, customs and traditions of the Indigenous Peoples in the area of autonomy. SEC. 3. Powers and Functions. - in addition to the applicable powers and functions of the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples, the RCIP-ARMM shall exercise in the Autonomous Region the following powers and functions: (1) Serve as the primary regional government agency to assist indigenous cultural communities and indigenous peoples (ICCs/IPs); 191