Dong Xoai ward: bringing digital transformation closer to residential areas

As part of the efforts to build a digital government and a digital society, rolling out digital transformation to residential areas is considered a crucial step, enabling residents to directly reap the benefits of technological advancements.

Residents receive support for administrative procedures at the residential areas. Photo: Truong Hien

Dong Xoai ward in Dong Nai Province has launched the One Neighborhood, One Digital Transformation Hub model to bring digital transformation closer to households’ daily lives. The program makes it easier for families to access technology right within their own communities.

Bringing digital utilities closer to residents

Tran Van Duan visited the Tan Thanh 2 Neighborhood Cultural House in Dong Xoai ward to register his child’s birth. Civil servants from the ward Public Administrative Service Center guided him through the registration process, provided all necessary information, and completed the procedure efficiently. He expressed his satisfaction with their attentive and responsible support, particularly appreciating that administrative services were handled quickly and conveniently right in his own neighborhood.

“Having administrative services available directly in my neighborhood is extremely convenient and beneficial for residents. It saves time and effort, as we don’t have to travel far to complete procedures. I hope the staff continue this approach so that residents can keep benefiting” – Duan said.

Having previous experience completing some administrative procedures at the ward, Nguyen Thị Son of Tan Thanh 6 Neighborhood, Dong Xoai ward, was pleased when officials at the Ward Public Service Center guided her through the marriage registration process, which was handled quickly and saved residents both time and effort.

Nguyen Thi Son shared: “I’m not very familiar with technology, but the ward officials guided me patiently, so the process was very smooth. They explained every step of the administrative procedures in detail, and once I understood the steps, I found it very easy to complete”.

Many residents in Dong Xoai ward now complete administrative procedures directly in their own neighborhoods. This approach reduces the need for residents to travel when submitting or collecting documents.

Nong Thi Hanh from Tan Thanh 6 Neighborhood said: “It’s very convenient that the ward officials come directly to the neighborhood to handle administrative procedures for residents. In the future, I can complete these procedures right in the neighborhood without having to visit the ward office, which helps me save both time and travel costs.”

Digital transformation requires processes to be fast, streamlined, and efficient. Given this situation, the Dong Xoai ward Party Committee discussed and devised the solution – that is decentralization. By enabling residents to complete procedures at all 15 neighborhood and hamlet cultural houses through the full registration process and online services, the workload at the Ward Public Service Center could be significantly reduced. Based on this idea, the ward implemented the One Neighborhood, One Digital Transformation Hub model. The rollout involved the entire local administrative system. Today, all 15/15 cultural houses are fully equipped with Wi-Fi, computers, and printers, and ward staff are assigned to work at each site on a weekly basis. Residents completing administrative procedures receive timely support from officials, ensuring efficient service and minimizing inconvenience.

Expanding digital access for residents

Under the One Neighborhood, One Digital Transformation Hub model, administrative procedures such as marriage registration, birth certificate issuance, temporary residence registration, and online document submission are supported by officials from the Dong Xoai Ward Public Service Center directly at neighborhood cultural houses. This enables residents to complete procedures locally without having to visit the ward office.

The digital transformation hubs at cultural houses in Dong Xoai ward have become go-to places for residents seeking guidance on digital services. With just a few taps on their phones, residents can complete procedures quickly, reflecting the spirit of a “service-oriented government.”

Vu Van Doan, Secretary of the Tan Thanh 2 Neighborhood Party Cell, shared: “Tan Thanh 2 has around 470 households, with approximately 2,300 residents. It is very encouraging that the Party committee, local government, and relevant agencies are implementing a digital transformation hub directly at the neighborhood cultural house. Residents are delighted, as they are provided with convenient access and can have procedures completed quickly and efficiently.”

As digital transformation extends into all aspects of social life, turning each resident into a “digital citizen” will lay the foundation for the ward to develop a fully digital government, digital economy, and digital society.

According to Duong Hoai Pha, Chairman of the Dong Xoai ward People’s Committee, administrative reform and digital transformation have been identified as key priorities for the ward in recent years. With guidance from higher level, coordination from specialized units, and support from VNPT, Dong Xoai has gradually implemented a range of digital applications in management and services for residents.

“Implementing digital transformation at neighborhood cultural houses is highly significant, helping to enhance services quality for residents and businesses directly within the residential areas. These hubs not only provide direct guidance and support for residents and businesses in using online public services and installing digital applications such as VNeID, eTex-Mobile, and digital signatures, but also serve as an important first step in fostering the habit of using online public services and building digital citizens and a digital community at the neighborhood level” – Duong Hoai Pha said.

Digital transformation at the residential areas is a crucial step to narrow the digital gap and foster the habit of using online public services from the grassroots, contributing to an improved quality of life. This also supports the long-term goal of building a sustainable digital society.

The implementation of the One Neighborhood, One Digital Transformation Hub model in Dong Xoai ward demonstrates that when technology is applied to familiar, everyday tasks such as temporary residence registration, birth certificate issuance, and marriage registration, made convenient for residents, the process of building a digital government and digital society can truly become deeply established. Digital transformation at the residential areas not only brings residents closer to technology but also lays the foundation for the long-term goal of building a sustainable digital society.

By Anh Ngoc – Translated by Thu Hien, Thu Ha