MANILA, PHILIPPINES — An electronics industry rebound is starting to take hold here and companies are publicly discussing hiring plans for 2012.

Ernesto Santiago, president of the Semiconductor and Electronics Industry of the Philippines Inc., predicted electronics exports would return to 2010 levels -- $31 billion, a growth rate of 20% year-over-year. Exports were down 25% in 2010.

Local firms are hiring in anticipation of higher demand. Ems Components Assembly, Inc., for example, is reportedly hiring 800 people this month, and is expected to continue to staffing up in the coming months.