Mila Mercado Bunker led Ahon sa Hirap Inc. for 22 years. This organisation, whose members are predominantly disadvantaged women, was the first to apply the Grameen Bank development model in the Philippines.  Mila was also one of the original members of the Microfinance Council of the Philippines. As President and Director of this Philippine networking organisation, she was a driving force behind the development of microfinance, both in the Philippines and internationally.