Ms. Pham Thi Lan Anh, Head of the Department of Culture and Information of Phu Luong district, said: The whole district has 214 hamlets and residential areas in 15 communes and towns. About 5 years ago, the rate of hamlet and residential area cultural houses that met the standards was only 60%. In order for the district to complete the criteria for cultural facilities, the Department coordinated with communes and towns to carefully review cultural houses that did not meet the standards according to the criteria to have appropriate renovation and repair plans; guide localities to build standard cultural houses, invest in sound systems, etc.

The Cong Hoa hamlet cultural house, Dong Dat commune, built 18 years ago, is only 80m2 wide, meeting the living needs of 80 households. Currently, the number of households in the hamlet has increased to 136, so the cultural house is no longer guaranteed. Ms. Nham Thi Nguyen, Head of Cong Hoa Hamlet, said: With the State's support of 30 million VND, we have promoted and mobilized people to contribute 90 million VND to repair and expand the area of the cultural house by 25 square meters. 100% of households agreed. In early July, the hamlet began repairing the cultural house and is expected to complete it by the end of this month.

Mr. Bui Kien Cuong, Vice Chairman of Dong Dat Commune People's Committee, informed: Upgrading and renovating cultural houses has received special attention from local people. From the beginning of the year, the commune has allowed hamlets with the need to build new or repair cultural houses to register and report to the District People's Committee. From 2023 to now, in Dong Dat, 5 hamlet cultural houses have been repaired, ensuring that 19/19 hamlets have cultural houses that meet the standards according to the new rural area criteria. Not only Dong Dat commune, in the past time, the remaining 14 communes and towns in Phu Luong district have mobilized all resources to gradually complete hamlet cultural houses and residential areas that have not met the standards, invested in equipment, meeting the living needs of the people.

Mr. Do Trung Phuong, Party Secretary of Lang Phan Hamlet, Co Lung Commune, shared: Not passively waiting for support from the State, in 2022, we mobilized people to contribute 100% to complete the hamlet cultural house with a total value of over 800 million VND, with a usable area of nearly 250m2. At the same time, we purchased televisions, tables, chairs, fans, audio equipment, installed wifi networks... so that people coming to the cultural house to meet, practice arts, and do physical exercises and sports feel most comfortable.

From 2020 to now, Phu Luong district has spent over 1.2 billion VND to support hamlets and residential groups to build new and repair cultural houses. Although the support amount is not large, it partly helps hamlets and residential groups have more conditions to complete the cultural house - a place for community activities in residential areas. According to statistics, in 2023, the district still had 51 substandard cultural houses, but now the number of substandard cultural houses has decreased to only 24; The rate of residential areas and residential areas meeting the new rural criteria is nearly 90%.

Ms. Pham Thi Lan Anh added: The rate of cultural houses meeting standards and ensuring the area has increased by more than 30% compared to 2020, not only helping the locality complete the criteria for cultural facilities in building a new rural district but also meeting the needs of cultural, artistic, and sports activities of the people, strengthening solidarity in the community. In the coming time, on the basis of reviewing cultural houses that have not met standards, the Department will continue to advise the District People's Committee to support hamlets and residential groups to complete cultural houses, and at the same time guide localities to renovate the cultural house grounds to ensure the new rural criteria.