AS THE Yuletide season approaches, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI)-Central Luzon reminded the public to be wary of the authenticity of Christmas lights they are buying for the safety of their families.

DTI-Central Luzon Director Judith Angeles advised buyers to always look for Philippine Standard (PS) Certification mark for locally produced products the Import Commodity Clearances (ICC) hologram for imported ones, and serialized stickers in Christmas lights products.

The PS and ICC certificates are issued to manufacturers or importers of mandatory products after they have undergone checking and inspection for product standards compliance.

Angeles noted that the valid PS license number should be a five-character alphanumeric combination, while the ICC serial number is an eight character alphanumeric combination located at the bottom portion of the mark.

"For the safety of our families and everybody, let us only buy products that were approved by DTI as the uncertified ones are more prone to malfunctioning and may cause untoward incidents," she said.

Angeles also reminded sellers to sell only certified products, as the DTI continues to monitor Christmas lights in supermarkets and stores in the region.

The DTI regional office also reminded consumers to always request for warranty certificates or cards when buying consumer products.