Buying Christmas lights for the holidays? DTI reminds consumers to check for ICC mark

MANILA, Philippines - Buying Christmas lights for the yuletide season?

The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) is reminding consumers to check the Christmas light’s Import Commodity Clearance (ICC) before making the purchase to be certain of the product’s quality and safety.

“Similarly with motorcycle helmets and other critical products that it regulates, the DTI alerts the general public to always check the ICC mark prior to their purchase of Christmas lights,” Trade Undersecretary for Consumer Welfare and Business Regulation Group Zenaida Maglaya said in a statement.

The DTI is regulating the sale of Christmas lights in the local market to protect consumers from the hazards posed by the product.

Under the DTI-Bureau of Product Standards’ product certification scheme, all importers of Christmas lights are required to have their inward shipments  subjected to sampling and testing based on the requirement of Philippine National Standards on Christmas lights at the BPS testing center and other DTI accredited testing centers, before selling to the public.

If the imported products are found compliant to the PNS requirements, an ICC will be issued to importers and they will be authorized to stick the mark on the goods.

“Uncertified sets of Christmas lights pose great hazards to its users, such as electric shock and overheating that often leads to fire. The DTI reiterates for consumers to buy only Christmas lights that have passed the required safety tests and inspections by the department,”  Maglaya said.

Aside from the ICC marks, consumers should also check if the sets of Christmas lights are completely labeled with the following: supplier’s or distributor’s name and address or trademark or brand; rated voltage and rated wattage of the set; rated voltage and rated wattage of the lamp; the words, “For indoor use only”; the number of this standard (PNS 189:2000); and country of origin.

For this year, the DTI required importers who were issued the ICC certificates to submit their list of distributors and dealers to ensure that only Christmas lights with the ICC sticker are in the market.

“The distributor and dealer lists will properly guide establishments and consumers in their safe purchases,” Maglaya said.

BPS director-in-charge Pedro Vicente Mendoza said consumers can even request the establishments to show the ICC certificates to validate if they are transacting with suppliers that are authorized by the DTI to sell safe sets of Christmas lights with the ICC mark.

Consumers may likewise check the list of certified brands of Christmas lights which is available online at www.bps.dti.gov.ph.

Mendoza said 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 or attach more than three 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’.”

He also said the proper use of the product is very important to ensure that it performs as expected.

Consumers are urged to carefully read the instructions or manual before installing or operating the product to prevent untoward incidents.

Consumers must also constantly check their house for faulty electrical wiring and always unplug Christmas lights or any electrical products when not in use.

The DTI imposes a maximum penalty of P300,000 per violation to an importer or retailer found with uncertified brands.

Should consumers find stores selling Christmas lights without ICC marks, they may report such to the DTI through telephone number 7513330 or to the nearest DTI regional and provincial office.