CEBU, Philippines — Now that the “Ber months” has started, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) in Central Visayas has also started monitoring the sale of substandard Christmas decorations, especially series lights.
Ines Cajegas, head of DTI Cebu Province Consumers Protection Division, noted that people have started buying Christmas decorations now that the situation is slowly going back to normal.
Cajegas said the DTI monitoring team has already been doing rounds in Cebu City and has observed that several establishments have started selling Christmas lights and other decorations.
“Yesterday we started our gitawag og scanning palang…It’s only today that we plotted na gyud asa mi padong kay kahibawo man mi every year man ta mag-monitor,” Cajegas said.
According to her, the DTI team is focusing more on smaller stores because most of the big establishments, especially department stores, are compliant with the standards.
“We found out kanang mostly naa sa prominent supermarkets and department stores, malls, duly compliant man gyud na sila, although we still have to check them pero amo karong focus kaning those mura’g…especially stores nga bag-ong nag-pop up nga atong subayon og tinood ba sila… ilahang produkto are all naay quality marks either ICC or PS mark,” Cajegas added.
Cajegas, however, believes that consumers are now already becoming vigilant but they still want to continue educating the public especially in buying Christmas lights.
She said that consumers should always look for the Import Commodity Clearance (ICC) to ensure the product is not substandard. An ICC verification system can also be downloaded to scan QR codes.
Aside from that, consumers are reminded to check on the wires and follow instructions properly on their usage before using them to avoid accidents.
“For the retailers and sellers of Christmas lights be careful that what you are displaying, I’m not saying selling na gyud ha, displaying sa inyong shelves have the necessary ICC or Import Commodity Clearance mark nga naka-stick on and the certificate to be displayed… mao na siya mapatuod nga match ang inyong ICC nga gipangpilit ngadto sa certificate of importation and then make sure nga tan-awon pud ninyo individually ang sulod nga mao gyud inyong gibaligya kay dili pud nato gusto maabot sa complaint sa DTI nga lahi ang inyong sulod sa inyong gawas,” said Cajegas.
DTI warned that violators will be issued a notice of violation aside from confiscation of their products. DTI is also asking the stores to check everything before displaying and selling it.
The public is encouraged to report violators to the DTI for appropriate action. — Decemay Padilla, FPL (FREEMAN)