Pagbanganan River is a river system that traverses several barangays in the city of Baybay. The river is important to the communities because of its various ecological uses. At this time, however, it is facing major threats which affect its water quality. This study was conducted to find out how the people living near the river utilize the water resources and to determine some economically important biological resources derived from the river. River-related problems, tradtional practices, superstitious beliefs and their perception on water quality were assessed. Personal interviews were conducted to gather data on household charateristics, water usage and assessment of water quality. The communities residing near the river for food and other services. Fish, shrimps, crabs and snails are among the many biological resources derived from the river. Most residents considered the river as important to them. Respondents generally believed that the river's water quality has been slowly deterioration. Overall findings suggest the need to raise public awareness on water quality issue to increase people's understanding and encourage them to adopt practices that can sustain the river's health.