DECORATING for Christmas is not complete without the twinkling Christmas lights that brighten up a night. But how safe are the Christmas lights that you are using?

According to Alex Malong, product manager of the Bureau of Product Standards-Department of Trade and Industry (BPS-DTI), all Christmas lights sold in the market should have the following in its packaging:

1. A visible Import Commodity Clearance (ICC) sticker
2. Safety instructions
3. Manufacturer’s name
4. Country of origin
5. Number of standard used- PNS 189:2000
6. Printed mark “For indoor use only”
7. Rated voltage and rated wattage of the set
8. Rated voltage and rated wattage of the lamp

The ICC sticker is the consumer’s assurance that the product has passed the testing based on the Philippine National Standard (PNS) 189:2000. It is the quality and safety seal on imported products.

In October 2008, DTI-BPS released an improved ICC sticker design to avoid imitations.
The improved ICC mark includes the certificate number and the month and year when the certification was issued.

Consumers should also check whether the Christmas light is substandard by looking at the diameter of the wires, Malong said.

“Dapat makapal ‘yung wire. Per strand of wire should measure 0.2 millimeters. Kapag manipis at madaling magbend, substandard ‘yun. [The wire should be thick. A wire strand should measure 0.2 mm. If the wires are thin and can be easily bent, then the product is substandard.],” added Malong.

Aside from the wires, the plug should have firm pins and should not be easily bent.

If a consumer buys a substandard product, he should return the product to the store where he bought it. If the store doesn’t accept the returned product, the consumer should report it to the DTI direct hotline-751-3330.

For the updated list of certified Christmas light products, check the DTI-BPS website.