The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) said on Monday it had issued notices of violation to 20 firms found selling uncertified home appliances, locking up hundreds of thousands of pesos worth of goods during a week-long inspection in Paranaque City last week.

The DTI, through its fair trade enforcement bureau, issued the notices during the seven-day enforcement operation that covered 50 firms in San Antonio, Don Galo, San Dionisio, Baclaran, Santo Niño, Don Bosco, San Martin de Porres, B. F. Homes, San Isidro, Sucat, and Multinational Village.

"We continuously remind retailers to practice fair and ethical business, and to protect themselves by expanding their awareness of the mandatory certification and markings," said Trade Undersecretary Ruth Castelo, who heads the department's consumer protection group.

The erring retailers were found selling uncertified appliances such as electric irons, electric rice cookers, electric juicers, induction cookers, electric blenders, electric grills, electric stoves, electric fans, electric food mixer and self-ballasted LED (light-emitting diode) lamps.

Other uncertified goods sold were extension cords, low carbon steel wires, motor vehicle brake fluid, ceramic plumbing fixtures, tires for automotive vehicles, and lead-acid storage batteries.

The DTI said the total value of these uncertified products reached more than P850,000.

Earlier in September, the DTI also stopped the sale of P14.7 million worth of uncertified products, including vehicle tires, steel pipes, deformed steel bars, and low carbon steel wires, following a series of crackdown in Cebu.

Similar operations had also been conducted by the DTI in Davao del Norte and Bulacan in September.