Driving significant progress across all three pillars of digital transformation

Phu Tho is among the pioneering provinces in Vietnam when it comes to digital transformation. Despite facing many challenges at the outset, Phu Tho, with the determination of its entire political system, has successfully implemented digital transformation across all three pillars—digital government, digital economy, and digital society. Digital transformation has transformed daily life and work practices, optimized resource use, fostered new values, and significantly contributed to the socio-economic development of the province.

On behalf of the President, Chairman of the Provincial People’s Committee Bui Van Quang awarded the Second-class Labor Medal to the Department of Information and Communications (November 2024).

Building a digital government to spearhead digital transformation.

Phu Tho lacks inherent advantages in implementing digital transformation. Therefore, the province has identified key areas and tasks tailored to the unique needs of each sector and locality.

In the initial phase, Phu Tho prioritized building a digital government as the catalyst for broader digital transformation. Applications and electronic systems have been consistently implemented across state agencies from the provincial to the communal level, including electronic document management, administrative procedure systems, and online video conferencing platforms.

Currently, 95% of work records at the provincial and district levels and 75% at the communal level have been processed online, excluding records involving state secrets. Additionally, 100% of reporting is conducted through the provincial and national reporting systems. Online processing covers 81.71% of administrative procedure records, while 83.89% of records have been digitized and 86.02% of result records are handled electronically.

Significant investments have been made in digital infrastructure, laying a solid foundation for digital transformation. The province has invested in upgrading and expanding 3,889 BTS stations, phasing out 2G networks, and deploying 47 5G BTS stations in Viet Tri City and various districts, towns, and municipalities. Phu Tho ranks among the top provinces in digital infrastructure development, currently holding 6th place out of 63 provinces and cities nationwide.

In parallel with building a digital government, efforts to develop a digital economy and society are also progressing steadily. The Provincial People’s Committee has issued a plan for developing a digital economy and society, along with programs to support digital transformation in enterprises. A program has been launched to encourage enterprises to participate in digital transformation and promote widespread adoption. Key enterprises have been selected to lead and support others in digital transformation. Community digital technology teams have been established in all communes, wards, and towns. These teams act as an extension of the Steering Committee for Digital Transformation at all levels, helping people access digital transformation and new technology applications.

Currently, the digital economy accounts for 12.5% of the province’s GDP, placing Phu Tho 10th nationwide. E-commerce penetration has reached 9.7%. Approximately 85% of the population holds electronic payment accounts, while 87.5% of mobile subscribers use smartphones. Broadband optical cable is available in an estimated 76.8% of households. Additionally, over 1.3 million citizen identification cards and 978,982 electronic identification accounts have been issued.

Thus, Phu Tho has systematically implemented digital transformation across all three pillars. As a result, five out of six goals set for 2025 in the Resolution of the Provincial Party Standing Committee on Developing E-Government towards Digital Government (2021-2025, with a vision to 2030) have been achieved ahead of schedule. The remaining goal is progressing as planned. Efforts to implement the digital transformation program have significantly improved the province’s operational performance.

The working group of the Department of Information and Communications has drawn valuable lessons from Thua Thien Hue’s digital transformation efforts.

Improving the quality of the 3 pillars of digital transformation

The year 2025 marks a crucial milestone in achieving the goals of the 2020-2025 term and in setting objectives for the 2025-2030 period. At this stage, digital transformation must prioritize depth and substance, aligning with the government’s core principle of placing people and businesses at the center, as both subjects and driving forces of transformation.

Enhancing the effectiveness of digital government remains a top priority. Key tasks include reviewing the implementation of Resolution No. 55-NQ/TU and, based on the findings, advising the Provincial Party Committee Standing Committee on issuing a new resolution to drive further development. The province is working to refine its digital government system in accordance with Phu Tho’s E-Government Architecture Version 3.0, recently issued by the Provincial People’s Committee. Efforts are underway to develop shared and specialized databases that can connect, integrate, and utilize high-quality digital data resources. The province is working to increase the rate of administrative procedures handled online, encouraging organizations, workers, and businesses to adopt online public services as a standard practice.

Develop and implement a standardized set of criteria while piloting digital transformation models across districts, communes, agencies, and units. Prioritize network safety and security, as it is a crucial factor for ensuring a successful and sustainable digital transformation. Upgrade the province’s digital data integration center, following a centralized data management and storage model at the provincial level.

Continue making strategic breakthroughs to significantly enhance the business environment, attracting high-tech and electronic enterprises to invest in the province. Support small and medium-sized enterprises in their digital transformation efforts. Enhance public awareness and training to enable people to effectively use online public services and essential digital services for daily life. Deploy the Digital Citizen Application to enhance communication between citizens and the government.

With clear strategies for digital government, economy, and society, Phu Tho is set to undergo a significant transformation. This will accelerate industrialization and modernization while contributing to the province’s vision of becoming a livable, attractive, safe, and prosperous destination, as outlined in the Phu Tho Provincial Planning (2021-2030) with a vision toward 2050.

Nguyen Minh Tuong

Director of the Department of Information and Communications, Deputy Head of the Provincial Party Committee’s Propaganda Department