DTI helpless vs sale of substandard Xmas lanterns

Trade officials on Thursday admitted they are helpless against makers of substandard parols (Christmas lanterns) being sold ahead of the Christmas season, saying such finished products are not covered in the agency’s inspection rules. Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Undersecretary Zenaida Maglaya said in a radio interview that they can only inspect the raw materials used in making the items, such as light bulbs and wires. “Ang parol, as a finished product, ay ‘di natin sakop. Pero ang electrical wires at ibang devices na ginagamit at mga bumbilya, sakop yan sa inspection (Lanterns - as finished products – are not among the items we can inspect. We can do so only with raw materials such as wires and bulbs and other gadgets used in making the products)," Maglaya said in an interview on dzXL radio. Overheating Christmas lights had been blamed for several fires during the Christmas season. Moreover, she said the DTI has no set standards for wrapping paper and other items used in making lanterns. She made the admission as Christmas lanterns started appearing along streets in Metro Manila and even in Makati City. The most that the DTI can do is to buy sample lanterns and test their electrical components, Maglaya said. She also said the DTI has started price monitoring of Christmas items, which she said includes Christmas lights. But she advised consumers to take precautions in handling such appliances, including not keeping them plugged in for too long. “Huwag natin gawing magdamag ang Christmas lights (Let’s not keep these Christmas lights stay on overnight)," she said. - GMANews.TV