lending institutions to finance its programs, as subject to the approval of the President.141 66. For 2022, NCIP has a total fund allocation of Php168,878,000 to 13 regional offices for 10,397 beneficiaries. The agency conducts indigenous people (IP) Youth Training to encourage peace advocates, researchers, community organizers, community planners, and program developers to become partners of the agency and ALS stakeholders and establish the roles of the IP youth. National Council on Disability Affairs (NCDA) 67. The National Council on Disability Affairs (NCDA) is the lead government agency mandated to steer the course of program development for persons with disabilities and the delivery of services to the sector by formulating policies and coordinating the activities of all agencies, whether public or private, concerning disability issues and concerns.142 It is tasked with monitoring the implementation of several laws to ensure the protection of PWDs’ civil and political rights, such as the Republic Act No 7277 (Magna Carta for Disabled Persons), Batas Pambansa Blg. 344 (Accessibility Law), Republic Act 6759 (White Cane Act), and ILO Convention No. 159 (Vocational Rehabilitation of Persons With Disability).143 68. One of NCDA’s major projects is the Non-Handicapping Environment (NHE), aimed at enhancing the physical and social accessibility of persons with disabilities. Launched in cooperation with the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), it was pioneered in the municipalities of New Lucena, Iloilo(Region VI), and Opol, Misamis Oriental (Region X) from 2008 to 2012, with two JICA experts dispatched to help in the implementation of the project.144 It implemented activities based on a series of five components/outputs as follows: (1) implementing Mechanism to define the implementing and monitoring mechanisms; (2) Profiling to grasp/assess the situation on PWDs and physical accessibility; (3) Capacity Development to enhance the capacity of counterparts/stakeholders, empower PWDs and their groups/organizations and promote their participation; (4) Advocacy to promote the removal of barriers in society; and (5) Networking to disseminate/share project experiences and NHE with 145 International/National stakeholders. Legislative Department 69. Philippine Qualifications Framework (PQF) was established in 2012 through Executive Order No. 83 and passed into law through the Republic 141 National Commission on Indigenous Peoples, Mandate, Vision, Power and Functions, available at https://ncip.gov.ph/mandate-vision-and-mission/ (last accessed June 21, 2022). 142 National Council on Disability Affairs, About Us, available at https://www.ncda.gov.ph/about/ (last accessed June 21, 2022). 143 Id. 144 National Commission on Indigenous Peoples, Non-Handicapping Environment (NHE) Project, available at https://www.ncda.gov.ph/non-handicapping-environment/non-handicapping-environment-nhe-project/ (last accessed June 21, 2022). 145 Id., Non-Handicapping Environment: Background, available at https://www.ncda.gov.ph/non-handicapping-environment/ (last accessed June 21, 2022). 36