Fifty of the 282 deceased overseas Filipino workers who died due to ''COVID-19 related illnesses'' in Saudi Arabia will be buried there in accordance with local customs, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said Sunday.

''Per the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), the remains of the 50 OFWs who died due to COVID-19 related illnesses will be buried in Saudi Arabia following the host country's local customs. The rest will be brought back to the Philippines, said Roque in a statement.

''The Palace commiserates with the families and loved ones of the 282 overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) who died in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Concerned agencies of the government have already been directed to extend assistance to their families, ''added Roque.

Earlier, Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III said Saudi King Salman asked the Philippines to bring the deceased Filipinos within 72 hours.

Bello said they have sought for more time from the Saudi government.

"We asked them to give us more time to bring home the dead, except those who died of COVID-19. It looks like we will get an extension of the 72 hours," he said.

Bello said they are left with no option but to allow the 50 Filipinos who died from COVID-19 to be buried in Saudi Arabia.

"We have no choice with the COVID-19 fatalities. We cannot bring them home for health reasons. We will just inform the families," said Bello.

Bello said the labor department is "planning to charter three flights from PAL or Cebu Pacific to bring home the remaining 232 dead OFWs in batches." DMS