Miss Universe 2016 Live from Manila: Coronation pageant starts at Mall of Asia Arena

Miss Colombia Andrea Tovar and Miss Peru Valeria Piazza are favourites to win but Philippines sets hopes on Maxine Medina.

Philippines' Maxine Medina
Philippines' Maxine Medina is one of the top contenders for this year's Miss Universe Reuters

The 65th Miss Universe beauty contest has started in Manila's Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City. Emmy Award winner Steve Harvey-hosted show featuring beauty queens from across the world kicked off at 8.00am local time Philippines, (0000 GMT). The start time of the 3-hour pageant in Singapore local time is 8 am.

Online betting sites said the beauties to beat would be Miss Colombia Andrea Tovar and Miss Peru Valeria Piazza. Philippines which worships beauty queens and is enamored with beauty shows, sets its hopes on local contestant Maxine Medina.

You can tune into the official website of the Miss Universe Organisation to live stream the event. Viewers can follow live updates from the show on the official Facebook page of the Miss Universe competition.