Buy safe Christmas Lights; check PS Marks. Trade and Industry Secretary Gregory L. Domingo (left) answers questions from reporters in the weekly Communication and News Exchange (CNEX) forum held at the PIA Building on October 18. Secretary Domingo urges the buying public to purchase and use Christmas Lights that have been certified by the Bureau of Product Standards (DTI-BPS) which carries the Philippine Standard (PS) or Import Commodity Clearance (ICC) Mark. Joining at the forum is DTI Undersecretary for Consumer Welfare Zenaida Cuison-Maglaya. The forum was co-hosted by DTI-Public Relations Office Director Thelma Dumpit-Murillo, and Radyo ng Bayan “Talking Points” program Anchor Allan Allanigue. (DTI-PRO)
This coming Christmas Season, DTI Secretary Gregory L. Domingo urged the public to be vigilant when buying Christmas light.
In the Communication and Exchange Forum (CNEX), Secretary Domingo advised the consumers to check the product’s Import Commodity Clearance (ICC) mark which is a proof that the Christmas light complies with standards and is safe to use.
He also warned consumers of the fake ICC marks prevailing in the market. He told that a genuine ICC mark has authentic feature such as hologram, and is not printed in the packaging of the product.
The hologram has security features that distinguish it from fake ICC marks. Secretary Domingo added that the genuine ICC mark cannot be easily copied or reproduced. A genuine ICC mark can be found attached on the packaging and in the product itself.
Because of its cheap price, people are more likely to buy substandard Christmas lights rather than the compliant ones.
To address this issue, Sec. Domingo said DTI have has issued a list of approved Christmas light brands that have passed and complied with the standards. DTI has also started conducting regular inspection and confiscation of substandard Christmas lights in the market. In Metro Manila, the DTI-NCR confiscated substandard products including Christmas lights on October 28.
To further educate the consumers, the Bureau of Product Standards said Christmas lights available in the markets should carry an ICC mark issued on year 2009 onwards. BPS Officer-in-Charge Carmencita Magno explained that Christmas lights without ICC marks issued in 2009 onwards might have deteriorated in quality and is not safe for use anymore.
As with other products, Ms. Magno said the BPS through DTI field offices continue to monitor products under mandatory certification to ensure that the products in their inventory are certified and complies with the standards. Public Relations Office, Department of Trade and Industry
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