The Department of Health on Wednesday said it will defer to the Department of Education whether it will keep the mask mandate on students inside the school premises.

"The DoH defers policy decisions to the DepEd with regard to the well-being and safety of its students," the Health department said in a statement.

"Should they pursue this, the optional use of facemasks in schools is aligned with the Office of the President's Executive Order 3 and 7 which allows the optional use of face masks both indoors and outdoors for certain health settings," it added.

The remarks came after DepEd announced its plan of making the wearing of masks optional even in classrooms.

The Health Department also reminded the public to assert their risk before deciding whether to remove their masks, especially in indoor spaces.

"In light o this, the DoH would like to reiterate that proper assessment of when to wear or not to wear masks and the right implementation and practice of ensuring our layers of protection (e.g. mask-wearing, sanitation, distancing, vaccination, and ensuring good ventilation) are keys to help in the prevention of virus transmission," it said.

Last week, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. issued an executive order allowing the voluntary wearing of masks in indoor settings across the country.

Under the EO, masks must still be worn inside healthcare facilities, medical transport vehicles, and public transportation.