With the holiday season fast approaching, the Department of Trade and Industry has sent a reminder to all Christmas lights importer to ensure that Christmas lights to be sold meet the prescribed requirements as mandated by the Bureau of Philippine Standards (BPS).

For the year 2016, all Import Commodity Clearance (ICC) certificates for Christmas lights issued by BPS from 01 January 2013 up to the present shall be valid. Starting 2017, the validity of the ICC certificates issued for imported Christmas lights shall be for a period of five (5) years.

Importers are also reminded that lights/lighting chains to be sold must bear the appropriate Import Commodity Clearance (ICC) stickers or the Philippine Standard (PS) certification mark before distribution in the local market.

The DTI, through the Regional and Provincial Offices, will intensify the conduct of market monitoring and enforcement activities to ensure that uncertified Christmas lights will not proliferate in the market.

Consumers are also advised to purchase only BPS approved brands of Christmas lights to avoid the risk of injury or damage to property.