Manila, June 23 -- The Department of Agriculture (DA) on Monday vowed to monitor the prices of food and agricultural commodities amid the Israel-Iran conflict.

"Ang pangako ko lang sa inyo, nakatutok ang Presidente natin dito, nakatutok kami dito sa DA sa mga pagkain (What I can promise is that President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. is closely watching this, we at the DA are on close watch to our foods)," DA Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. said in an ambush interview.

Tiu Laurel refrained from giving projections on possible price adjustments on agricultural commodities, noting that the global situation remains "very fluid."

He, however, noted that price hikes may primarily be felt on imported goods if unscrupulous traders take advantage ...