The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) is stepping-up the monitoring of wholesale and retail establishments selling protective motorcycle helmets and their visors to ensure that these are certified.
In an effort to ensure safety for the fast-increasing number of motorcycle riders and their passengers, the DTI is making certain that only certified helmets are sold in the market.
According to the DTI, it is mandatory for all manufacturers and importers of protective helmets and their visors to secure a Philippine Standard (PS) License or Import Commodity Clearance (ICC) certificate from the Department prior to the sale and distribution of their products.
“Those found with uncertified products shall face administrative charges from the Department,” DTI warned.
In order to provide the industry with an internationally-accepted reference standard in manufacturing reliable protective helmet, DTI adopted the United Nations Economic Commission on Europe (UN ECE) standard specifications and test methods for protective helmets and their visors for motorcycles and mopeds drivers and passengers as a Philippine National Standard (PNS/UN ECE 22:2007).
It is imperative that the quality of the product is checked to ensure that it performs as intended, DTI emphasized.
DTI regulates critical consumer products that greatly affect life, property and health. Therefore, in consultation with the helmet industry sector and other stakeholders, the DTI has included the protective helmets in its mandatory product certification scheme to level the playing field of businesses, and more importantly, to avert the pervasive distribution of substandard helmets in the market for consumer protection.
DTI operates a Product Certification Scheme to assure consumers that critical products such as protective helmets sold in the market are safe and reliable. The Department requires the manufacturers and importers of products under mandatory certification to apply for the PS License or ICC certificate, and have their products inspected and tested based on PNS/UN ECE Reg 22:2007 prior to its sale and distribution in the market.
The Department has already given all manufacturers, importers and distributors of protective helmets enough time to comply with the product certification scheme. This year, only helmets bearing the PS or ICC mark can be sold in the local market, DTI said.
To ensure compliance with the law, the DTI enjoins the buying public to patronize only PS and ICC-marked products in the market. Consumers can report or file a complaint against substandard products through the DTI provincial offices.
For more information on helmet standards, the public may visit or call the Consumer Welfare and Business Regulations Division of the DTI Central Visayas provincial offices: BOHOL PROVINCIAL OFFICE, 2F FCB Bldg., CPG Ave., Tagbilaran City at tel # (63) 038-501-8260; CEBU PROVINCIAL OFFICE, 3F LDM Bldg., M.J. Cuenco Avenue, Cor.Legaspi Street, Cebu City at tel. # (63)(032) 412-1863 / 253-2631; NEGROS ORIENTAL PROVINCIAL OFFICE, 2F Uymatiao Bldg., San Jose Street. Dunaguete City at tel. # (63)(035) 422-2764; SIQUIJOR PROVINCIAL OFFICE, Chan She Bldg., Legaspi Street, Poblacion, Siquijor, Siquijor at tel # (63)035-480-9065.
For news on DTI, please visit http://tradeneconomydti.blogspot.com/ http://tradeneconomydtiact.blogspot.com/
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