Govt team checks stores for inferior X’mas lights

By LITO RULONA
Correspondent .

THE Department of Trade and Industry, Cagayan de Oro City Price Coordinating Council and the city council’s committee on trade, commerce and industry on Wednesday inspected stores in the city that sell Christmas lights to make sure the establishments were not selling substandard and hazardous electrical products.

DTI legal officer Fel Brillantes said they did the rounds, going to malls and markets, to see if Christmas lights for sale bear the Import Clearance Certificate (ICC).

“Products that have ICC stickers were checked before these were sent to the market. As early as September, many of the malls and supermarkets started selling this kind of products,” he said.

Brillantes said those caught selling substandard Christmas lights would be sanctioned for violating the Consumer Act and the Standard Law under the DTI’s Mandatory Certification schemes on products.

Local proce coordinating council co-chairman Jose Edgardo Uy said officials were pleased to find establishments complying with the laws.

Establishments inspected include Kaking, Unitop, and Ororama in Barangay Carmen. No substandard Christmas lights were found to be for sale.

“This is an indication that store owners already learned their lesson nga dili na gyud sila magbaligya og mga substandard products,” Uy said.

Councilor George Goking, chairman of the city council’s committee on trade, commerce and industry, said officials also wanted to make sure the products being sold are not smuggled goods.

“We conducted a surprise inspection to protect the consuming public. Barato lagi pero luwas ba kaha kita kung mogamit kita niini?” he asked rhetorically.