'Silent architect' for nearly 30 years for smart cities

Photo caption — Ho Chi Minh City's digital transformation "female general" Vo Thi Trung Trinh runs the pilot operation of the two-level local government model.

With nearly 30 years of experience, passion and "heavy debt" to the "career" of applying technology to modernize the administrative system, Ms. Vo Thi Trung Trinh is one of 278 advanced models honored at the 1st Ho Chi Minh City Patriotic Emulation Congress.

From administrative "career" to digital "career"

Ms. Vo Thi Trung Trinh started her career as a specialist at the Department of Planning and Investment of Ho Chi Minh City (formerly), and has grown over time to hold the position of Deputy Director of the Department of Information and Communications. Currently, she is the head of the Ho Chi Minh City Digital Transformation Center - a unit that plays a key role in implementing digital transformation programs and projects and smart urban areas of the City.

During nearly three decades of working in the public sector, whether in the administrative or digital fields, Ms. Trinh has twice received the title of "Grassroots Emulation Fighter", once received the title of "City Emulation Fighter", five times received Certificates of Merit from the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee, and twice received Certificates of Merit from the Prime Minister (in 2010 and 2025). She has always been steadfast in her goal of "putting people at the center" to serve. The focus of her work is not fancy technology, but applications that must serve practically in life.

"This can be said to be a profession, or a "career", because during that time I only had one thing in mind, which was to apply technology to modernize the administrative system, so that people could easily interact and access public services in the most convenient way," Ms. Vo Thi Trung Trinh confided.

Ms. Trinh and her team have worked tirelessly day and night to perfect each feature and technology application to help the administration operate smoothly and seamlessly in cyberspace. From "Digital Citizen" to "Digital Government", these applications help the government's direction and administration to be public and transparent; at the same time, they open the way for people to access public services and administrative procedures easily and quickly.

Ms. Vo Thi Trung Trinh shared: "My job brings me a lot of joy. Because the efforts to bring technology into life help the City's administration become more modern, open and transparent. Most importantly, it better serves people when accessing public and administrative services."

In addition, the Ho Chi Minh City Digital Transformation Center has put into operation many applications to serve the essential needs of people in areas of life such as healthcare (outside hospital emergency system combined with digital maps), transportation (app to buy discounted Metro tickets, exemption policy for meritorious people)... In particular, the center was awarded a Certificate of Merit by the Chairman of the City People's Committee in recognition of its important contributions to the digital transformation and administrative reform process of the City. The unit was also awarded the Emulation Flag by the Ministry of Information and Communications (formerly) and commended as the "leading flag" of the whole country in the digital transformation process.

At work, Ms. Vo Thi Trung Trinh is always highly appreciated by her colleagues and associates for her professionalism, dynamism, creativity, vision and enthusiasm for contributing to the community. Mr. Nguyen Thanh Hoa, Deputy Director of the Ho Chi Minh City Digital Transformation Center, acknowledged that under the leadership of Director Vo Thi Trung Trinh, the City Digital Transformation Center has united into strength, promoted the spirit of innovation, become the leading flag in the digital transformation of the City, serving the development of digital infrastructure, ensuring information security and safety, building digital platforms to serve the community; at the same time building and developing the data system for the City.

"In Director Vo Thi Trung Trinh, we see enthusiasm in work, especially the vision that demonstrates the role and mission towards the goal of serving the community, taking people as the center of service," Mr. Nguyen Thanh Hoa shared.

Building a co-created digital government

The tireless efforts of Ms. Vo Thi Trung Trinh and the Ho Chi Minh City Digital Transformation Center have contributed to many proud achievements. The city is continuously in the top 5 in the country in digital transformation, reaching second place in 2022 according to the Digital Transformation Index (DTI). Ho Chi Minh City's public services ranked fourth nationwide.

Ho Chi Minh City is also the only locality in the country to be awarded the ASOCIO 2023 Award for the category of "Excellent Digital Government" in Korea. This international award is a clear recognition of the City's breakthrough, vision and ability to implement Digital Government.

Dr. Tran Quy, Director of the Vietnam Institute for Digital Economic Development, highly appreciated the leading role of Ms. Vo Thi Trung Trinh in the effort for Ho Chi Minh City to continuously maintain its leading position in the country in digital transformation.

"With a solid academic foundation, plus nearly 30 years of in-depth experience in the field of management information systems, data analysis and administrative reform, Ms. Vo Thi Trung Trinh has made important contributions to helping the City achieve breakthrough achievements in digital transformation," said Dr. Tran Quy.

According to Dr. Tran Quy, in her position as Director of the Ho Chi Minh City Digital Transformation Center, Ms. Vo Thi Trung Trinh continues to promote her experience and expertise, focusing on implementing key technology programs and projects, aiming at the ultimate goal of building Ho Chi Minh City into a smart and sustainable city, serving the people in the most optimal way.

In the context of the City gradually perfecting the 2-level local government apparatus, Ms. Vo Thi Trung Trinh is the person who directed the completion of the Centralized Administrative Procedure Information System. Thanks to that, 100% of qualified online public services are ensured to be provided to people and businesses; highly appreciated by the leaders of communes and wards.

Mr. Le Van Minh, Secretary of the Dien Hong Ward Party Committee, recognized that Ms. Vo Thi Trung Trinh deserves to be one of the "silent architects" who have made fundamental and strategic contributions to the City's digital transformation.

"What is admirable is that Ms. Trinh always focuses on practical applications serving life. She clearly understands and grasps the content of digital transformation work, the key issues that need to be raised to solve and thoroughly handle all inadequacies and difficulties. The dedication, responsibility and affection that Ms. Trinh has for her work has motivated the working team and inspired the staff and civil servants at the grassroots level," Mr. Le Van Minh emphasized.

Notably, the application "Ho Chi Minh City Digital Citizen" built and developed by the City Digital Transformation Center has just been awarded the Innovation Award by the City People's Committee.

According to Mr. Nguyen Thanh Hoa, Deputy Director of the Ho Chi Minh City Digital Transformation Center, there are currently about 620,000 people installing it on mobile devices and the number of interactions is about more than 6 million. "Compared to the population of more than 14 million people in Ho Chi Minh City after the merger, this number is still quite modest, requiring us to make more efforts. In particular, the leadership and management role of Director Vo Thi Trung Trinh holds a core and nuclear position; thereby gradually promoting digital connections, creating digital communities and developing a digital society in the near future," Mr. Nguyen Thanh Hoa further stated.

Ms. Vo Thi Trung Trinh's greatest wish is the consensus and cooperation of the entire political system, departments, branches and especially the participation of people and businesses.

"Digital transformation is a process of overall and comprehensive change, bringing the traditional governance model to the digital environment; therefore, it requires cooperation, consensus, and joint efforts of the entire political system. The government, people and businesses must co-create a modern administration," Ms. Trinh shared.

According to Ms. Vo Thi Trung Trinh, the "Digital Education for the People" movement is being deployed simultaneously in neighborhoods, wards, and communes, which will help people (including the elderly) proficiently use applications such as VNeID and "Digital Citizen" to interact with the government. From there, it will contribute to spreading digital technology widely, building a sense of consensus in creating a digital government right from the grassroots level.

Source: https://baotintuc.vn/nguoi-tot-viec-tot/kien-truc-su-tham-lang-gan-30-nam-vi-thanh-pho-thong-minh-20251030103416736.htm