Report: DTI starts monitoring Christmas lights

With vendors starting to sell Christmas items this early, the Department of Trade and Industry has started inspecting stores for substandard Christmas lights. The DTI reminded retailers against selling inferior lights, especially those that can easily short and cause fires, according to a report on dzXL radio Wednesday. It particularly urged retailers to make sure the Christmas lights they sell have gone through proper inspection. Also, the DTI appealed to the media to help remind the public not to buy substandard Christmas lights. Christmas lights must have the Import Commodity Clearance (ICC) and Philippine Standards (PS) seals, it added. Many Filipinos started the countdown to Christmas as early as last weekend with the start of the "ber" months. The Philippines has the distinction of having the world's longest Christmas season that starts in September. — RSJ, GMA News