Wards citywide speed up public services through digital data reuse
In Phu Thuan Ward, resident Tran Thi Minh Diep recently filed to close her household business. After submitting information and forms online, she was told results would be available in 3 working days instead of 5. “I thought it would take nearly a week. The process was faster than expected,” she said.
Chairman of the People's Committee of Phu Thuan Ward Le Loi explained that the reduction does not mean skipping steps. The ward reviewed each stage, clarified responsibilities, and increased use of electronic records. For household business closures, processing time dropped 40 percent, from 5 days to 3. Disability certification procedures were cut from 10 days to 8, and another procedure from 12 days to 10. Parallel processing and digital signatures reduced waiting while maintaining proper review.
In Phu Nhuan Ward, residents benefit from data reuse. When applying for a marriage status certificate, Nguyen Huynh Thanh Truc only had to state the purpose of use, as most information was already stored. Officials accessed the national population database via VNeID, specialized databases, and the city’s data warehouse. Previously provided information was automatically cross-checked and pre-filled, limiting repeated declarations.
According to the ward, over 80 percent of applications now reuse electronic data. Nearly 40,000 residents have used online services, avoiding about 13,000 duplicate documents. Processing time in civil status, household business, and social welfare has been reduced by about 30 percent. In civil status alone, 2,000 applications followed the principle of “provide information once.”
HCMC pushes digital reforms to streamline administrative services
In Tan Hai Ward, officials proposed cutting resolution time for two ethnic and religious procedures from 15 days to 10, a reduction of 33 percent. This would ease burdens for religious organizations and improve service quality.
In An Phu Dong Ward, from early 2026 to July 26, the public service center processed nearly 15,000 applications, all delivered on time, with 100 percent digitization. Citizen satisfaction reached 100 percent in 468 evaluations. Director Nguyen Ngoc An said data reuse eliminated repeated declarations and paper submissions, while reducing manual verification for staff.
Despite progress, problems remain. Some specialized platforms are unstable, data across systems is not fully synchronized, and the national public service portal sometimes overloads. Inconsistent guidance on electronic document authentication also causes difficulties.
An Phu Dong Ward proposed standardizing shared databases, digitizing and reusing administrative records, and improving digital skills for staff. Ba Ria Ward requested faster completion of specialized software and clearer rules for electronic certification.
Ho Chi Minh City has acknowledged these issues and plans to review IT infrastructure at wards and communes to ensure smooth access to shared platforms. The city will coordinate with ministries to fix system errors, integrate specialized software with its administrative system, and implement a data management strategy. Upcoming initiatives include the Digital Citizen app, neighborhood management platforms, and a unified citywide digital database.
