Time to deck the halls, Kapamilya.

The Department of Education will not ban Christmas decorations in public school classrooms as long as these are not permanent, a DepEd spokesman said Friday.

"Wala naman po 'yun problema kasi hindi naman po 'yun permanent. Of course, they can decorate their classrooms," Undersecretary Michael Wesley Poa said in a TeleRadyo Serbisyo interview.

"Pwede silang mag decorate as long as simple lang. Ang ayaw lang po natin talaga permanently nasa walls."

Vice-President and Education Secretary Sara Duterte earlier ordered public schools to remove visual aids, crucifixes, pictures of national heroes and even past and present presidents from classroom walls.

• Bare walls only: Duterte orders classroom walls stripped of photos, visual aids

The DepEd spokesman earlier said visual aids can still be used but only during the time of the lesson.

Poa, meanwhile, warned against holding contests for best Christmas decorations in classrooms, saying it is usually the teachers who do the extra work.

"Ayaw natin naaabala at gumagastos ang teachers para diyan sa contest," he said.

He also reminded the public that classes from kindergarten to Grade 12 in public school are automatically suspended once Signal No. 1 or an orange rainfall warning is hoisted.

"Hindi na kailangan maghintay ng anunsyo ng LGU," he said.