THE Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) reiterated its warning on substandard Christmas lights, saying these holiday decors have been linked to fire incidents in the past.

Substandard Christmas lights are those that have not passed quality standards, and may be spotted through their tiny wires, said Ruel B. Paclipan, head of the DTI office in Iligan City.

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Consumers should only buy products with tamper-proof Import Commodity Clearance (ICC) stickers issued by DTI's Bureau of Product Standards (DTI-BPS), said Paclipan.

A common feature of a genuine product is the holographic security film, he said, adding that these stickers help curtail the proliferation of uncertified products in the market.

Christmas lights belong to regulated products.

Under DTI-BPS' product certification scheme, a regulated product or a product covered by mandatory certification is submitted to the BPS Testing Center or any BPS-recognized laboratory for a series of tests, prior to its distribution or sale in the market.

"Only those manufacturers and importers whose products pass the safety and quality requirements of a specific standard are issued with a BPS License for locally-made products and the ICC Certification for imported products," Paclipan said.

DTI, he said, will conduct a massive information drive in coordination with the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) in order to prevent stores and retailers from selling substandard Christmas lights and similar products. (DVAIII)