I Need Illumination

I was reading this article in the New York Times about how the world overwhelmingly preferred an Obama win, and I was a little shocked to discover that the only countries in the world that preferred a McCain victory were Israel, Georgia and the Philippines.

I understand Israel and Georgia, but the Philippines?!? The Philippines?!?

I don't get it. Was it:

•  McCain's tax plan (the Philippines already uses Obama's preferred system - progressive taxation - which is required by our Constitution)?
• Obama's youth (many of our Congressmen are under 40)?
• the Republican preference for smaller government (even if we blame government for many of our social problems, which evinces a preference for a big, welfare type government)?
  
• abortion, stem-cell research, gay unions (okay, I understand the opposition to this given the predominantly Catholic population, but it never affected support for Clinton or the other Democrats)?
• personality (they prefer the folksy, small town America McCain/Palin public profile)?

I have good friends from back home who wanted McCain to win, and the reasons they gave were good and on principle - lower taxes, small government, entrepreneurship. I have a feeling though, that a majority of the Filipinos (those who preferred a McCain victory) would not have been able to articulate it as well as my friends did, and would most likely have preferred McCain for one, far less simple (and sinister) reason, which I am afraid to write down explicitly.

Do let me know what you think. I haven't been home in four years, so I may be completely in the dark about prevailing sentiments.