(HBO) – In autumn days of August, we had an occasion to visit the Cao Phong – Thach Yen revolutionary base. Following the historical traces, we relived the old revolutionary days. The Cao Phong – Thach Yen land formerly had rough mountainous terrain.
In late 1944, the regional party committee of
Bac
Kyassigned comrade Vu Tho, former Secretary of the Party delegation of Hoa Binh,
to come to the region to popularize the nation’s revolution among ethnic people
there, which paved a way for the establishment of the Cao Phong – Thach Yen
revolutionary base. In July 1945, Vu Tho selected 30 young, tough and
enthusiastic militiamen for military training courses in Cao Phong – Thach Yen
region. At first, the classes were located at Ngai hamlet, Thach Yen commune
(now Yen Lap commune), and then removed to Khanh pagoda, Thach Yen commune (now
Yen Thuong commune).

Quoen Ang
pagoda site in Tan Phong commune was upgraded to satisfy the spiritual demand
and educate revolutionary tradition for today young generations.
Quoen pagoda in Trang hamlet, Tan Phong commune,
was the gathering of the Hoa Binh Party delegation in April 1945. During the
meeting, the Party delegation decided to establish revolutionary bases. On August
23, 1945, the delegation of Cao Phong – Thach Yen base coordinated with the
army in Lac Son to enter Phuong Lam, then crossing the Da River to
Dung street to join
revolutionary forces in the whole province to seize the power.
While visiting Quoen Ang pagoda relic site, Bui
Van Yen, Chairman of Tan Phong commune’s People’s Committee shared that after
the anti-France resistance war, the pagoda was damaged due to many reasons. On
the land of the old pagoda, there were only a few of broken tiles. The only
object found at the pagoda is a bronze bell weighing over 100kg and dating to
the 18th century. In 2012, one billion VND was invested in upgrading the pagoda
relic site to meet the spiritual life and educate revolutionary history for
young generations today. Along with Khanh pagoda, Quoen Ang is a popular place
for spiritual tourism, attracting a lot of tourists on Tet holidays. Promoting
the tradition of the revolutionary land, officials and residents in Tan Phong
commune have spared no effort to overcome difficulties and build a new life. In
2017, the commune strives to increase annual per capita average income to 28
million VND. The rate of poor households will be reduced by 17.2 percent.
Currently, the commune has met 15 out of the 19 criteria on building new-style
rural areas.
The Thach Yen – Cao Phong base was recognised as
a national revolutionary relic site by the Ministry of Culture and Information in
1996. Nowadays, not only Tan Phong commune, but also other mountainous communes
such as Yen Lap and Yen Thuong are witnessing day-by-day changes. Thanks to the
Party and State’s support, the infrastructure at these communes has been
improved, bringing a facelift to the land. Local people are excited to join
labour production and build a well-off life.
In late March, 29 labourers from Da Bac district were sent to work as seasonal farm workers in Buyeo county, Chungcheongnam province, the Republic of Korea (RoK). Upon arrival, they quickly settled into their jobs, enjoying good working conditions and benefits, with wages aligned with the terms of their signed contracts. The programme is now being expanded, with relevant departments and sectors actively seeking additional seasonal employment opportunities in various localities across the RoK.
Luong Son Industrial Park has invested in standardised wastewater and emissions treatment systems, enforced tight emission controls, reduced noise, dust, and solid waste, and expanded green spaces, contributing to protecting the environment and promoting sustainable development.
Hoa Binh police are collecting public feedback on amendments to the 2013 Constitution via the national identification app VNeID. This innovative approach marks a giant leap towards modernising grassroots democracy and enhancing transparency in public consultation.
A total public investment capital of 113 billion VND (over 4.3 million USD) was disbursed for a project to upgrade infrastructure and stabilise residents in the vicinity of the Da River reservoir between 2021 and the first quarter of 2025, giving a facelift to local rural areas and improving the quality of people's life.
Since the end of 2023-2024 academic year, Cu Yen Primary and Secondary School in Luong Son district has deployed e-study records for all of its 500 primary students, said the school principal Nguyen Thi Tuyen.
The Labour Federation of Hoa Binh city has actively worked to protect the rights and welfare of nearly 8,000 local workers and union members at 152 grassroots unions. Through regular dialogues, education campaigns, and welfare programmes, the federation has helped foster stable, progressive labour relations.