Improving public service quality through “Friendly Government” model

To improve the working style and attitudes of cadres and civil servants and provide friendlier, more accessible and effective public services, the Standing Board of the Dong Nai Provincial Party Committee, now the Dong Nai City Party Committee (CPC), issued Directive No. 33-CT/TU dated March 12, 2024, on the development and implementation of the “Friendly Government” model.

After more than two years of implementation, the model has brought about significant changes in the awareness and practices of cadres and civil servants across Dong Nai, shifting the focus from conventional administrative management mindset toward a service-oriented approach that puts people's satisfaction at the center.

Officials from the CPC's Commission for Information, Education and Mass Mobilization and Phu Hoa commune leaders inspect the implementation of the “Friendly Government” model at the commune's Public Administration Service Center (PASC).

Making a difference

The “Friendly Government” model is built around the principles of the “four courteous expressions” — saying hello, apologizing, saying thank you and asking for permission; the “four always” — always smiling, always being gentle, always listening and always helping; and the “five no's” — no bossiness or arrogance, no causing difficulties or inconvenience; no bureaucracy or indifference; no corruption or waste; no flattery or lobbying; and no abuse of position or authority.

Observations at agencies, organizations, communes and wards across Dong Nai show that the “Friendly Government” model has made administrative procedures more transparent and accessible to residents. The welcoming and attentive manner of cadres and civil servants, who proactively guide and assist residents and businesses, marks a significant change from the past.

Nguyen Thi Thom, a resident of Phu Hoa commune, said: “I am not familiar with administrative procedures. When I came to the commune's PASC, the civil servants were very helpful and guided me through the process, so I was very satisfied.”

Dinh Kim Tuan, Standing Deputy Secretary of the Phu Hoa commune Party Committee, said the commune's Party Committee Standing Board had turned the “Friendly Government” model into specific plans and solutions suited to local conditions, and directed the commune People's Committee to implement them in a coordinated manner alongside administrative reform and digital transformation. The focus is on building a dedicated, people-oriented civil service that serves residents, while ensuring that administrative procedures are handled quickly and conveniently, with the satisfaction of residents and businesses serving as the key measure.

The entire political system in the commune has joined efforts to implement the “Friendly Government” model. The Phu Hoa commune Youth Union, for instance, has established a volunteer youth team to support the operation of the two-tier local government system and assist residents in accessing online public services. The commune People's Committee has mobilized more than 200 officials and Youth Union members to regularly welcome and guide residents completing administrative procedures at the PASC.

Alongside handling administrative procedures for residents and businesses, the commune People's Committee has organized visits and sent messages of congratulations and encouragement to residents and businesses. From October 2025 to May 2026, the commune sent 245 congratulatory letters to residents upon completion of marriage registration and birth registration procedures; 48 thank-you letters to residents, organizations and businesses that had contributed to local development; 29 letters of apology for shortcomings and deficiencies in government operations that affected residents, organizations and businesses; and 37 letters of condolence to bereaved families. The commune Party Committee, People's Council, People's Committee and Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee also made 52 visits to religious establishments in the area on the occasion of major holidays and important religious celebrations.

In Bu Dang commune, the “Friendly Government” model has prompted a shift toward a more proactive approach, with the administration “seeking out residents who need assistance” rather than waiting for them to come forward. Nguyen Thanh Tung, Party Deputy Secretary and Chairman of the People's Committee of Bu Dang commune, said that after reviewing data related to socio-economic development, land and issues directly affecting residents' lives, the commune authorities found that 2,117 land parcels belonging to 1,309 households had yet to be granted first-time land-use rights certificates.

Applying for a first-time land-use rights certificate involves multiple and relatively complicated steps, while ethnic minorities account for 18% of the commune's population. In response, the Bu Dang commune People's Committee launched a project to help residents complete procedures for obtaining their first land-use rights certificates.

Under the project, land officials from the commune's Economic Division and village officials visit households that have yet to receive land-use rights certificates to provide assistance, assess the current status of the land, document its origin and help residents complete the necessary procedures.

After the necessary paperwork is completed, hamlet officials guide residents in submitting their applications through the National Public Service Portal. The commune People's Committee then cross-checks the applications against land databases and verifies the origin of the land. Eligible applicants are issued certificates, which commune officials deliver directly to their homes. To date, the commune has helped residents complete 212 applications for land-use rights certificates covering 188 households.

The approach has reduced the number of trips residents need to make, shortened administrative processing times and minimized inconvenience for the public.

Positive impacts

According to the CPC's Commission for Information, Education and Mass Mobilization, the “Friendly Government” model has made an important contribution to building a government that is people-oriented, responsible, professional and service-driven. Statistics from the city's administrative procedure settlement information system show that from December 15, 2025 to June 12, 2026, Dong Nai received more than 654,000 applications, with online applications accounting for 99.86%. At city-level departments and agencies, more than 287,000 applications were processed, with nearly 100% handled on time or ahead of schedule. At the commune level, more than 330,000 applications were processed, with over 99.59% completed ahead of schedule.

Plan No. 60/KH-UBND issued by the Dong Nai People's Committee for assessing and recognizing communes and wards as meeting “Friendly Government” standards for 2026-2030 aims to strengthen the responsibility of Party committees and authorities and raise awareness among commune-level cadres and civil servants, particularly their sense of public-service ethics, responsibility and commitment to serving the people. It also seeks to improve the effectiveness of administrative reform across the city.

During the first six months of 2026, Dong Nai received more than 3,500 pieces of feedback and petitions, most of which were handled within the prescribed time limit.

Residents' satisfaction with the receipt and processing of administrative procedures reached 100%, while satisfaction with the results of application processing stood at 97.59%.  Dong Nai ranked third nationwide in the Public Administration Reform Index (PAR Index) and the Satisfaction Index of Public Administrative Services (SIPAS).

Le Thi Thai, Deputy Head of the CPC's Commission for Information, Education and Mass Mobilization, said the commission had recently conducted surveys on the implementation of “Skillful Mass Mobilization” models in several communes and wards across the city, including the “Friendly Government” model. The surveys found that the models had been implemented in ways suited to local conditions, contributing to more effective mass mobilization by local authorities and strengthening ties between the government and the people.

The commission has asked local agencies and units to continue implementing effective “Skillful Mass Mobilization” models, including the “Friendly Government” model, thereby contributing to the development of a modern and professional public administration that puts people at the center.

On June 4, 2026, the Dong Nai People's Committee issued Plan No. 60/KH-UBND on assessing and recognizing communes and wards as meeting “Friendly Government” standards for the 2026-2030 period. Units recognized as meeting the “Friendly Government” standards will receive an official recognition decision from the Chairman of the Dong Nai People's Committee and have a “Friendly Government” sign installed at their public administration service center.

The assessment and “star-rating” mechanism for administrative agencies is expected to encourage healthy competition and make the satisfaction of residents and businesses the key measure of public-service performance.

The continued implementation of the “Friendly Government” model across Dong Nai shows that when the spirit of “being close to the people, respecting the people and serving the people” becomes a standard of public service, it can help build a more transparent, effective and efficient administration that better serves residents.

By P. Hang – Translated by M.Nguyet, Thu Ha