PB warns public on purchase of substandard Christmas decors

Provincial legislators are calling on the public to be wary in buying electric-powered Christmas decorations, most especially those sold in the downtown areas and in some malls.

Members of the Provincial Board said unsafe and substandard Christmas decors, like Christmas lights, are usually the cause of fire during the holidays.

Only Christmas lights that satisfactorily passed safety and quality requirements are issued an Import Commodity Clearance (ICC) mark for imported products, or Product Standard (PS) mark for locally-made products.

Thus, those Christmas lights without ICC or PS markings are considered substandard and uncertified.

“In previous years, there had been fire incidents that were caused by faulty or substandard Christmas lights,” the resolution, proposed by PB member Wenceslao Gakit, read. It also advised the public never to purchase substandard Christmas lights to avoid any untoward incidents.

Meanwhile, to avoid fires due to substandard electric Christmas decors, the City Council has called on the Department of Trade and Industry to once again inspect Christmas lights being sold in the city and determine if these have the appropriate ICC and PS markings.

The Council, through a resolution passed by councilor Arsenio Pacaña, said that with the advent of the Christmas season, Christmas decors especially those that use electricity must have passed the products quality and safety standard test.

With many cheap Christmas decors such as Christmas lights being sold here, it is possible that many of these are substandard and may be dangerous to consumers. More often, substandard decors that use electricity are often the cause of fire.

The Council pointed out that last year alone, the Bureau of Fire Protection attributed the unusual high incidence of fire occurrences to substandard electric Christmas decorations.

“If left unchecked, the sale of substandard Christmas decors and light-bulb series in the market may continue to proliferate and endanger the lives and safety of people considering that thousands, if not millions, of homes celebrating Christmas and the New Year are expected to be illuminated with Christmas lights and decors,” the Council said.

Aside from its call for the DTI to again take appropriate actions, the Council is also calling on residents to be extra careful in buying electric Christmas decors and to not easily be lured by items that are sold very cheap.

“It should be fitting to remind Christmas shoppers, consumers and homeowners to be extra vigilant and careful in buying or choosing Christmas lights and decors to be used for decorating Christmas trees, homes or offices by buying only Christmas lights or any electric-powered Christmas decors with the appropriate ICC or PS markings,” the Council said. — Gerome M. Dalipe and Joeberth M. Ocao/MEEV