Listen to measure people's happiness.

VHO - A less flooded road, a cleaner neighborhood, a park for children to play in, and administrative procedures that are handled quickly and conveniently... these are very ordinary things, but they determine people's perception of quality of life and daily happiness.

The People's Committee of Thu Duc Ward, in collaboration with the Ho Chi Minh City Institute for Development Research, recently announced the criteria for a "Happy Thu Duc Ward" and the results of the first survey, opening up a new approach in urban governance that centers on the genuine feelings of the people.

The Fatherland Front Committee of Thu Duc Ward and the Steering Committee for the Management and Use of the "For the Poor" Fund of Thu Duc Ward held a groundbreaking ceremony for the repair of solidarity houses for residents. Photo: PTĐ

The government has a clearer understanding of people's lives.

Notably, this model does not focus on infrastructure indicators or administrative achievements, but rather aims to measure people's genuine perceptions of daily life. This is seen as a new experiment in urban governance at the grassroots level, shifting from an administrative management mindset to a service-oriented one.

Ms. Tran Thi Hong Thuy, Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Thu Duc Ward, said: "It can be said that the biggest starting point of the 'Happy Thu Duc Ward' model is the local government's desire to innovate local governance methods towards being closer to the people, more practical, and putting the people at the center of service."

In the process of urban development, localities often evaluate results by growth rate, infrastructure, or administrative reforms. These are important but not sufficient; what is more important is whether people are satisfied with where they live, whether they feel safe, cared for, and happy.

“We determined that building a ‘Happy Thu Duc Ward’ is not about creating another movement or title, but about building a new governance tool so that the government can better understand the lives of the people through their own perceptions,” Ms. Thuy shared. To develop the criteria for a “Happy Thu Duc Ward,” the locality went through many rounds of consultation, revision, and pilot surveys.

According to Ms. Pham Thi Le Hang, Head of the Culture and Social Affairs Department of Thu Duc Ward, in March 2026, the ward organized many professional meetings and conferences to gather opinions with the participation of scientists, experts, representatives of mass organizations, and heads of neighborhoods in the area.

Many aspects related to traffic, the environment, community culture, public services, mental health, social beliefs, and people's attachment to the locality were repeatedly reviewed and adjusted to ensure they were relatable and accessible while maintaining research value. Following this, the ward conducted a pilot survey using both in-person and online methods via Google Forms and QR codes. When the official survey took place, many neighborhoods formed teams to assist residents in scanning codes, using mobile phones, and encouraging participation through community Zalo groups.

According to Ms. Hang, the most valuable aspect is the responsible participation of the residents, who have offered many suggestions and expectations for the local development. “Some neighborhood officials worked late into the night to assist residents in completing the survey. Some youth union members went to each alleyway to help residents access the online survey. Through each survey form, we clearly felt the residents' expectations for the future development of Thu Duc ward,” Ms. Hang said.

Pride and responsibility

Having listened, the authorities must take responsibility.

The results of the 2026 "Happy Thu Duc Ward" survey have provided the locality with very valuable data, reflecting relatively comprehensively the feelings, desires, and expectations of the people regarding the place where they live.

Besides the positive results, the survey also revealed many issues that people are still concerned about and expect to see significant improvements in the future. We believe that the greatest value of the survey lies not in the numbers, but in the fact that the local authorities have heard the true voices of the people. And having listened, the government has a responsibility to act.

(Ms. TRAN THI HONG THUY, Vice Chairperson of the People's Committee of Thu Duc Ward)

Notably, feedback from the neighborhoods shows that residents place a great deal of trust and expectation in the project. Ms. Huynh Thi Ngoc Trung, representative of neighborhood 7, stated that what residents are currently concerned about is not only infrastructure or the pace of urbanization, but also the feeling of living in a cleaner, safer environment and of being listened to more by the government.

Sharing some effective practices in the neighborhood, Ms. Trung said that the neighborhood regularly holds community meetings and group activities to understand the thoughts and aspirations of the people. This shows that when the government truly listens, the people are very willing to cooperate. Many issues related to environmental sanitation, security and order, encroachment on sidewalks and roads, or maintaining urban aesthetics are proactively addressed and resolved by the residents.

“A happy neighborhood is not a place without difficulties, but a place where people still care for, support, and walk alongside each other,” Ms. Trung said. Based on the local reality, Ms. Trung proposed continuing to promote administrative reforms towards being closer to the people and more friendly; investing in upgrading the drainage system, green spaces, and lighting; and strengthening community cultural and sports activities; and building more common spaces so that people, especially the elderly and young people, have places to socialize, participate in activities, and improve their spiritual lives.

Participating in the on-site survey, Ms. Nguyen Thi Minh Phuong, representative of neighborhood 39, said this was the first time she had truly felt that the local government genuinely wanted to listen to the people. “Initially, many people thought this was just a normal survey. However, after explanations were given, people began to care because the questions were very relevant to their daily lives: from the environment, security and order, spiritual well-being to the feeling of happiness living in the area,” Ms. Phuong said.

During the implementation process, the neighborhood divided into several groups to assist residents with online surveys, guide them on scanning QR codes, and access the online system. “Many residents jokingly said that the government is now willing to listen to the people. Those words were simple, but we felt the genuine affection the people have for their locality,” Ms. Phuong said emotionally.

Through more than 6,000 survey responses, what concerned the leaders of Thu Duc ward the most was not whether a single index was high or low, but rather the real lives and trust that people placed in the government behind those numbers.

Ms. Tran Thi Hong Thuy stated that, along with the survey results, the locality also received approximately 20 pages of detailed feedback, in which residents proposed many models and solutions for the ward's activities. "This is both a source of pride and places a great responsibility on the government to concretize these suggestions into practical actions," Ms. Thuy said.

Based on the survey results, Thu Duc ward has identified several key tasks for the coming period. Among them, improving the living environment and urban infrastructure is the issue of greatest concern to residents. In 2026, the ward will review flood-prone areas, degraded roads, and traffic congestion zones to propose solutions; while prioritizing the upgrading of drainage systems, lighting, urban beautification, and increasing security cameras in residential areas. The locality also aims to build more "community green spaces" such as mini-parks, children's playgrounds, and outdoor exercise areas; and simultaneously promote the digitization of records, improve the quality of online public services, and maintain channels for receiving feedback from residents.

According to the leaders of Thu Duc ward, what the people need is not a government that talks a lot, but a government that responds quickly, handles issues effectively, and acts responsibly. The locality also decided to continue maintaining community cultural activities, neighborhood-building models, and weekend clubs for teenagers and the elderly to strengthen connections within the community.

Source: https://baovanhoa.vn/van-hoa/lang-nghe-de-do-hanh-phuc-cua-nguoi-dan-232467.html