Public reminded anew: Don’t buy substandard Christmas lights

Senior Fire Investigator (SFO1) Windell Villanueva, Cebu City Police Office

CEBU CITY, Philippines — The Cebu City Fire Office is again reminding the public especially Cebu City residents to buy or use only quality Christmas lights and not substandard ones to prevent fires.

Senior Fire Officer (SFO1) Windell Villanueva made this appeal as the Cebu City Fire Office has started another series of information dissemination activity.

Villanueva said the public should always check the Christmas lights they would buy and make sure that these would have commodity clearances for use.

“Katong magbutang og dayang dayang sa ilang panimalay, make sure nga dunay commodity clearance or ICC mark ang inyong paliton nga lights. Para outdoor gani, outdoor gyud nga paliton nga lights lahi sad tong sa indoors,” Villanueva said.

(For those who will put Christmas decorations in their respective houses, make sure to check if there is a commodity clearance or ICC mark on the Christmas lights. For outdoor, buy an outdoor light.

Villanueva also appeals to the public not to settle with substandard qualities for Christmas lights since these can cause fire.)

“Magduda na ta kung barato ra kaayo ang series lights kay grabe na kaubos ang quality niana mura nag buhok iyang wire, and possible na nga dali muinit unya malanay unya inig kalanay mao nay hinungdan sa sunog,” Villanueva added.

(We should be doubtful if these are so cheap already since this is expected to have a low quality. The wire is like already like a strand of hair and possibly will easily melt and eventually cause fire.)

Villanueva said that they also help monitor establishments together with the police and Department of Trade and Industry to make sure that these establishments always sell quality products and not substandard ones.

If they will find low quality or substandard products sold in these establishments, then they will forward a recommendation to the DTI.

“We are in constant coordination with the Department of Trade and Industry, sila atong partner ana kay kami, wala mam mi power to confiscate mga ingun ana nga butang. Kuyug mis DTI, tan- awon namo ang qualities og duna bay mga markings ug legit ba ni nga pagsud sa atoa,” Villanueva said.

(We are in constant coordination with the Department if Trade and Industry, they will be our partner since we do not have the power to confiscate these items. We will be with DTI personnel and we will check the qualities of these products to see if these have ICC markings and if it is legit when it entered our market.)

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