This reality has consolidated the people’s trust in the Party and the government, creating a solid foundation to protect the Party’s ideological foundation right from the grassroots level and contributing to strengthening the great national unity block.

In the early days of summer, the working atmosphere at the Public Administrative Service Center of Na Sang commune is urgent but orderly and disciplined. In the waiting area, many citizens are enthusiastically guided by officials to declare applications and install online public service apps. Thanks to this “step-by-step guidance” approach, processing administrative documents has become faster and more convenient for the locals.

After being guided by an official to complete the procedures, Sùng A Minh from Na Pheo village (Na Sang commune) expressed: “Initially, we were worried that merging would make paperwork more difficult. But after implementing the new model, officials are very dedicated in their guidance, and many procedures are done faster than before. Whenever there is a need, officials come directly to the village to disseminate and explain, so people feel very reassured.”

Aiming for a lean, efficient apparatus that serves the people better, right after the policy was issued by the Central level, the provincial Party Committee and the People’s Committee of Điện Biên province focused on drastic and synchronous leadership and direction. They issued many schemes, plans, and guiding documents to implement the policy of reorganizing the apparatus and building a two-tier local government model. To create unity in awareness and action among officials, party members, and the people, party committees and authorities at all levels in the province have stepped up dissemination from the provincial to the grassroots level.

From village and hamlet meetings to direct dialogues with the people, grassroots officials persistently explain the goals and significance of reorganizing the apparatus towards being streamlined, close to the people, and better at serving them. Thanks to a methodical and democratic approach, the entire province had over 118,000 voters participating in providing feedback on the administrative unit reorganization scheme.

After the reorganization, the entire province reduced its administrative units from 129 communes to 45 communes and wards; ended the operations of 10 district-level units; and reduced 7 provincial-level agencies alongside 72 affiliated organizations. Specialized agencies under the provincial People’s Committee decreased from 19 to 14, marking a reduction of over 26% in focal points.

In the new model, the functions and tasks between different levels are more clearly defined. The commune level is granted more autonomy in resolving tasks. The province currently has 441 administrative procedures under commune-level jurisdiction, of which 212 can be performed online by citizens from home. This is an important step forward in building a modern, transparent, and service-oriented administration.

Along with streamlining the apparatus, Điện Biên province pays special attention to building a contingent of officials who are “close to the people, respect the people, and act for the people.” Following the reorganization, over 2,300 officials and civil servants were transferred to the new commune level, and over 14,000 public employees were reassigned to fit the structure of the new organizational model. To support remote and isolated communes in handling work during the initial phase of the merger, the province reinforced the grassroots level with hundreds of professionally trained officials and civil servants.

In a context where hostile forces frequently exploit difficulties and limitations at the grassroots level to distort facts and incite sabotage, the substantive and effective operation of grassroots authorities serves as the clearest proof to refute false allegations.

Reality shows that wherever officials are bureaucratic, detached from the people, and delayed in resolving work, frustrations are likely to arise, creating loopholes for toxic and malicious information to infiltrate. Conversely, when the government truly listens to the people, respects them, and promptly resolves their legitimate interests, social trust is consolidated, and the great national unity block becomes even stronger.

Đặng Thành Huy, Secretary of the Party Committee of Sín Thầu commune, shared: We thoroughly instill in commune officials the need to change their mindset from management to service. Citizens coming to carry out procedures must have their issues resolved according to regulations and receive dedicated guidance. The service attitude of officials and civil servants at the grassroots level is the direct factor in building trust with the people.

To shorten the distance between the government and the people, localities have effectively promoted the role of disseminating and mobilizing people to implement socio-economic development policies. To accelerate site clearance for the Điện Biên provincial Sports Center project, the Party Committee and authorities of Điện Biên Phủ ward embraced the spirit of being close to the people, mobilizing the entire political system to disseminate, persuade, and hold direct dialogues with citizens.

With the motto of listening, understanding, and thoroughly explaining each policy, the ward has reached out to every household, helping people clearly understand the significance and benefits of the project for local socio-economic development. As a result, many households voluntarily signed commitments to hand over their land, helping to remove obstacles in site clearance and accelerating the project’s progress.

From the practical implementation of the two-tier local government model in Điện Biên province, it can be affirmed that building a service-oriented government apparatus contributes significantly to consolidating the foundation of the people’s trust. Although the road ahead still presents many challenges - especially the increasing work pressure on grassroots officials and the rising demands for digital transformation and improved service quality - with the political determination of the entire system and the consensus of the people, the two-tier local government model is truly proving to be close to the people, understanding the people, and serving the people, thereby contributing to firmly protecting the Party’s ideological foundation in the new period.