The 65th Miss Universe pageant is underway at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City.

Eighty-six ladies, including the Philippines’ Maxine Medina, are vying for the coveted Miss Universe crown set to be relinquished by the country’s very own Pia Alonzo Wurtzbach.

The announcement of the pre-selected Top 13, determined through the candidates’ performance in the preliminary competition and interviews, will kick off the coronation event.

The Top 13 will compete in the swimsuit segment, where they will be scored by judges as well as home viewers via the Miss Universe Global Fan Vote. The Top 9 contestants with the highest averaged scores in the swimsuit competition will advance to the long gown segment.

The Top 6, who will be picked based on their performance in the evening gown competition, will advance to the Final Question round. The Top 3 contestants move to the Final Look round, where they will be ranked based on their overall performance. CBB