Eighty-six of the most beautiful women in the universe are competing on Thursday night’s Miss Universe preliminary competition which will feature the swimsuit and evening gown showcases.

The event, which will be staged at the Mall of Asia Arena, will be hosted by reigning Miss Universe Pia Wurtzbach and Filipino actor Derek Ramsay.

Former Miss Universe winners Dayanara Torres of Puerto Rico and Riyo Mori of Japan will serve as judges for the preliminary competition, along with former model Cynthia Bailey, international marketing director Rob Goldstone and TV producer Fred Nelson.

The scores from the swimsuit and long gown competitions, together with those from a separate closed-door interview with the candidates, will help determine the Top 12 who will vie for the title on Monday, January 30.

For more about Inquirer’s special coverage on the Miss Universe pageant, click here. IDL