CITY OF SAN FERNANDO The Department of Trade and Industry DTI disclosed over the weekend that it is set to establish a certification and standards system for Christmas lanterns popular in Pampanga.
The move is aimed to regulate the traditional lighted Christmas decorations with a new scheme approved this year.
DTI Bureau of Philippine Standards (BPS) Director Neil Catajay said "parols" and electricity-powered lanterns have yet to be included under a proper standards and certification system.
He sais safety standards have not yet been mandated on the sale of Christmas sans a frame of reference the government could benchmark.
"Parols" and other lighted Christmas lanterns are not included in DTI-BPS' certification scheme, he said.
"But the good news is that we have already coordinated with our partner standards development organization, the global not-for-profit safety science company Underwriters Laboratories (UL), which is based in the United States," the official said.
“Within the year, we want to have it established as a national standard so we can use that to certify the products made by "parol" makers since the UL has available frameworks for seasonal decorative lights and that is applicable locally on a national standards system,” Catajay added.
He stressed that the government does not plan to restrict "parol" sales but rather help hundreds of lantern-makers in Pampanga and Bulacan provinces who are exporting the popular Christmas decorations to the US and other global markets.
DTI reminded the public to buy only Christmas lights with safety certification marks.
In its two microsites is a list of Christmas light products with valid Philippine Standard (PS) certifications marks and those with Import Commodity Clearance (ICC) stickers.
DTI said PS marks are granted to manufacturers after successfully complying with the DTI’s factory audit and product testing.
ICC stickers on the other hand are issued to importers on a per shipment per bill of lading or airway bill basis after product inspection and testing, and attest the product has undergone and met safety standards.