Officially established on July 1, 2025, the new Búng Lao commune is the result of merging three former communes from Mường Ảng and Tuần Giáo districts: Búng Lao, Ẳng Tở, and Chiềng Đông. The newly formed commune spans over 185km2, with a population of nearly 20,000 people across 39 villages and hamlets.

Prior to the merger, all three communes had made significant progress: Búng Lao had completed all 19 criteria of the program and was recognized by the provincial People’s Committee as a “standard” commune in 2022, while Ẳng Tở and Chiềng Đông had fulfilled 13 to 15 criteria. However, under the recalculation method (which averages the progress across the new administrative unit), some of the previously met criteria have now dropped below the standard.

According to Kiều Xuân Hoàng, Vice Chairman of the Búng Lao commune People’s Committee, the top priority in this early stage is to quickly stabilize the organizational structure, assign personnel, and clearly delineate responsibilities to ensure effective and synchronized leadership. Once a stable system is in place, the commune can focus on improving the quality of criteria and strive to regain recognition in the shortest possible time.

While institutional consolidation is the overarching objective, Mr. Hoàng emphasized that the core mission from now until the end of the year remains the review, reinforcement, and completion of the criteria. The commune’s Economic Division has been tasked with coordinating technical teams to reassess all criteria based on current standards. Preliminary data indicates that income levels, poverty rates, environmental conditions, transportation infrastructure, and cultural facilities vary significantly among sub-regions. Whereas the former Búng Lao area enjoys relatively good infrastructure and favorable conditions for agricultural and commercial development, many villages in Ẳng Tở and Chiềng Đông still face poor infrastructure and high poverty rates.

To gradually address these disparities, the local Party Committee and authorities are mobilizing resources to strengthen weaker areas, especially in income generation, infrastructure, and environment. The commune has also launched a widespread campaign of “The State and people working together”, encouraging residents to repair village roads, reinforce irrigation canals, and renovate cultural houses and sports facilities.

After transitioning to the new two-tier local government model, Búng Lao also formed task forces to visit each village, gather community feedback, and design tailored plans for each area, ensuring relevance to local conditions and people’s needs.

Despite the development gaps among the merged areas, Búng Lao also has many advantages. The original Búng Lao commune had already completed the program and therefore has experience in mobilizing resources and fostering community participation. Although Chiềng Đông and Ẳng Tở lagged in infrastructure and livelihoods, they maintained strong community solidarity, stable grassroots governance, and broad public support for the merger and rural development efforts.

According to Hoàng, the current phase of new-style rural building is focused on sustainably improving quality of life. Priority will be given to disadvantaged areas, while successful practices will be replicated elsewhere, striving for balanced development and ensuring that all residents benefit tangibly from the program.

From a commune that had already “crossed the finish line” in new-style rural building, Búng Lao is now on a new journey, with new aspirations. Challenges are inevitable, but with the unity of the Party, authorities, and local people, along with valuable experience, Búng Lao is well-positioned to advance steadily. Most importantly, this journey is built on a methodical and firm foundation, paving the way for comprehensive and sustainable development.