MANILA, Philippines?Oil firms are waiting Monday for the new order that would revoke Executive Order 839, which set petroleum prices at October 15 levels in calamity-stricken Luzon.

?We have not moved (prices) yet because the lifting of EO 839 has not been issued,? said Eastern Petroleum Corp. chair and president Fernando Martinez.

In a text message, Martinez said oil firms still had no idea when the actual EO superseding EO 839 would be promulgated, although they were hoping ?it would be soon.?

Malacañang last week announced that the price freeze and ceilings placed on prime and basic commodities and on oil products would be lifted Monday.

But the actual directives have not been signed by President Macapagal-Arroyo yet.

Seaoil Philippines Inc. president Glenn Yu said in another interview that oil firms were just waiting for the official order lifting the price cap before increasing their pump prices.

?We are awaiting the written order lifting EO 839,'' he said.

When the oil price cap is lifted, oil firms said they would increase prices in installments and not go for the full P4 to P5 a liter, the amount they claimed they have to recover, so as not to subject consumers to a price shock.

EO 839, issued on Oct. 23, froze petroleum prices at Oct. 15 levels after storms devastated Luzon. The order led to under-recoveries of P4-P5 a liter, according to the oil firms.