Entrepreneurial Farmer

by Ambrosio R. Villorente

DTI Prompts Consumers:
Buy ICC Marked Christmas Lights

As the holiday season draws near, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) once again reminds consumers to be vigilant and buy only Christmas lights that bear the Import Commodity Clearance (ICC) mark so as to ensure product’s quality and safe use.

DTI Secretary Peter Favila said, "In preparation for the fast–approaching Christmas season, the Department prompts consumers to be extra cautious in buying Christmas lights to enjoy a hazard – free holiday."

"Those cheap and uncertified sets of Christmas lights pose great hazards to its users, such as electric shock and overheating that often leads to fire. Only those Christmas lights with the ICC marks are safe and reliable to use as these products passed the required safety tests and inspections based on a specific standard," adds Secretary Favila.

DTI regulates the sale of Christmas lights in the local market to protect consumers from the hazards posed by this critical product. Under the Bureau of Product Standards’ (BSP) Product Certification Scheme, all importers of Christmas lights are required to have their import shipments (on a per Bill of Lading basis) subjected to sampling and testing based on the requirement of Philippine National Standards (PNS) on Christmas lights at the BPS Testing Center, prior to its sale. Only those importers whose products comply with PNS requirements are issued with the ICC certificate, and are authorized to affix the ICC mark in their products. The ICC mark comes in sticker form and is not directly printed on the package.

DTI Consumer Welfare Undersecretary Zenaida Maglaya stressed, "the Department has only allowed the distribution and sale of sets of Christmas lights with the ICC certificate issued from 2007 to 2009. We request the buying public to examine this on the ICC stickers before their purchase. This is important since the wires of Christmas lights, for example, become brittle after some time and pose danger to the users", she points out.

"Aside from looking for the ICC stickers, consumers should also check if the sets of Christmas lights are completely labeled with the manufacturer’s supplier’s/distributor’s name, address and trademark or brand, rated voltage and rated wattage of the lamp; the words, "For indoor use only", the number of this standard (PNS 189:2000); and the batch/lot number or bar code", Maglaya emphasized.

She added that to further guide consumers on how to use the product, each set of Christmas lights should have suitable warning such as, "do not cascade/attach more than three (3) or the recommended sets of Christmas lights to avoid overloading", "disconnect from supply before removing or inserting any lamp", avoid damage to insulation", and "failed lamps shall be replaced immediately by lamps of the same rated voltage and wattage to avoid risk of overheating".

Secretary Favila underscored, "The proper use of the product is very important to ensure that it performs as expected. Thus, consumers are urged to carefully read the instructions or product manual before installing or operating the product to prevent untoward incidents."

Those who want to know what are the Christmas lights that passed the safety test may inquire in the Editorial Office, Madyaas Pen. Tel. No. 268-6238. /MP