Mindanaotoday.com | DTI-10 seizes Christmas lights without ICC stickers in Cagayan de Oro
By: Franck Dick Rosete
CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY – A total of 266 Christmas lights have already been confiscated by the authorities since they started the monitoring of the said products in the Northern Mindanao region.
Julie Nieva, Department of Trade and Industry-10 (DTI-10) information officer, said the number of Christmas light products were confiscated for having no Import Commodity Clearance (ICC) stickers and no proper markings.
The DTI provincial office of Misamis Oriental together with the Cagayan de Oro City Price Coordinating Council started the monitoring of the said products in various business establishments in this city as early as November this year.
The DTI-10 assured to give the due process, where the violators were tasked to provide their explanation.
“We give due process to the violators. We give them an opportunity to explain. But if they are unable to present licenses on Christmas lights sold from the Bureau of Philippine Standards, we destroy the lights to avoid the items to be resold or used,” Nieva said in a text message on Thursday, December 22.
The 266 Christmas lights were confiscated within Cagayan de Oro and there were no reported Christmas lights violators in the other provinces in the region.
On the other hand, the DTI-10 also said there were no confiscated fireworks and firecracker products so far in the region because of substandard concerns.
Engr. Emmanuel Plaza, DTI-10 development specialist, in a media forum on Thursday, December 22, said that even the agency has not been conducting inspection and audit as there was no local manufacturer situated in the region, the DTI-10 has been conducting joint monitoring together with their partnered agencies to ensure the safety of the products.
The said line agencies include the Bureau of Fire Protection, Department of Interior and Local Government, Department of Health and the Philippine National Police.
“It is very significant the safety [of the fireworks and firecrackers] to our consuming public and it can really impose danger to our properties and to our health,” Plaza said.
Plaza said the majority of the local manufacturers of fireworks and firecrackers are located in the Luzon area and the DTI has been conducting the inspection and audit to these manufacturers to ensure the safety and quality of the products. (MT)
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