David held leadership posts at the Caucus of Development NGO Networks (president, 1989–1998); Women's Action Network for Development (vice chairperson, 1990–1998); Partnership of Philippine Support Service Agencies (chairperson, 1989–1995); Independent Commission on Population and the Quality of Life (commissioner, 1992–1996); and People's Forum for Habitat II (national convenor, 1995–1996). David also served as consultant to poverty and women's program policy planning of the Asian and Pacific Development Centre. In 1989, she was a consultant for the women's mission of GTZ or Deutsche Gessellscahft Fur Technische Zusammenarbeit and the
Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA). From 1988 to 1989, David was the over-all consultant of the Philippine Development Plan for Women at the
National Commission on the Role of Filipino Women (NCRFW). David rendered consultancy services at the NCRFW from 1995 to 1996 for the Philippine Plan for Gender Responsive Development. She was also the executive director of Harnessing Self-Reliant Initiatives and Knowledge (HASIK) from 1988 to 1998. HASIK is a non-government organization involved in urban poor empowerment, gender development, protection of children and adolescents, and housing and livelihood projects. From 1997 to 1998, David was the president of Eco-Shelter, Inc., a private company involved in shelter construction and development of alternative housing materials. From 1999 until her appointment to the CSC, David was president of Property Solutions, Inc., a private company that offers innovative and alternative interventions to various property issues. ==Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council chair==