MANILA- The "Belt and Road" forum is a chance for President Rodrigo Duterte to remind China of the $15-billion soft loans it had promised, an analyst said Friday.

Reuben Mondejar, an associate professor at the City University of Hong Kong, said Duterte can press Chinese President Xi Jinping of the pledges Beijing made to Manila last year.

"On the sidelines of this summit, he will try to press, remind China of the $15 billion promise they had made to help him," Mondejar told ANC.

Mondejar noted that there is pressure on Duterte to begin showing signs of accomplishments.

"He (Duterte) has to begin showing signs of accomplishment apart from the controversial drugs issue that he is facing, so infrastructure is always a good story," Mondejar said.

Duterte recently unveiled his plan to build P8.4 trillion in new roads, railways and bridges.

Dubbed as "Dutertenomics," the plan highlights big ticket infrastructure projects with a promise of more jobs for Filipinos.